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Aug 28,2005 - Sept 4,2005 |
Afghan women's rights are paper thin
'A long way lies ahead of us before our citizens can become truly equal'
By Francesco Veronesi
Originally Published: 2005-04-03
In today's Afghanistan, two types of problems must be urgently addressed. The first is security, which is barely guaranteed in Kabul and is completely lacking in numerous provinces. The second concerns the condition of women; there are social, political and cultural barriers that must be torn down if a real parity is to be achieved."
Adeena Niazi is executive director of the Afghan Women Counselling & Integration Community Support Organization, an association that helps Afghan women to integrate in Ontario and, at the same time, acts as a bridge linking the Afghan community of our province with its country of origin. In the past two years, the tragedy of Afghanistan has been upstaged by the war in Iraq, but, as Niazi remarks, "our country is going through a period of great instability."
Recently, Afghanistan suffered yet another bloody day: a Taleban attack killed five in Kandahar on the day of a visit to Kabul by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "The Afghan population needs security," says Niazi. "The latest events are just more proof of this fact. There are provinces where the situation is really beyond control: Taleban guerrillas are still around, and the usurped power of the local warlords prevents the application of the rule of law. If my people could express a wish, undoubtedly it would be for more security. Everything else would be secondary."
Close to four years after the American invasion and the fall of the Taleban regime, the objective of a fully democratic Afghanistan has yet to be achieved. Last month, a new postponement of elections, from May to September, was announced. "Paradoxically, this is good news," adds Niazi, "because I don't believe that right now the conditions required for truly free elections exist. But I am highly doubtful that this will change by September. Many issues need to be addressed to improve general conditions of life, such as the condition of women, the respect of rights, health care, education, economic uncertainty."
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