25-year-old women Arifa is the latest example of the barbarism in Afghanistan. Her fingers were cut off by husband and eaten, an incident which is not getting as much public outrage as the Quran burning. It shows the collective conscience of our nation, where selective outrage at religious issues erupts as fire, but people are comfortable with ignoring incidents of barbarism that occur every once in a while.
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has called for an exemplary public trial of Arifa's husband. There is no outrage. And as usual, the human rights organizations issue condemnation statements demanding the Government to take action. Though strict implementation of laws about violence against women can help the victims, but it will not have a larger effect to change the general barbaric attitude toward women.
Arifa's husband also killed his daughter. It is reported that he was a drug-addict and not stable mentally. But it is not an isolated rare incident. Violence against women is a common story in Afghanistan. We just do not show outrage.
We have worst record of violence against women, with highest rate in the world. Nobody follows the religious codes in this regard. The male dominated society with extreme socio-religious mindset is still a phenomenon in Afghanistan.
Women suffer severe domestic violence. In most parts of the country, husbands consider it their natural right to harshly beat their wives over tiny disputes. Women face violence at every stage of their life, in every relation—as a girl, as a sister, as a wife and even as a mother.
Other than physical violence, women are not allowed to work shoulder by shoulder with their male counterparts—a social and behavioral violence.
Women and girls are at risk of rape in their homes, in their villages, and in detention facilities.
During the brutal Taliban regime women were stoned to death, shot in head and beaten in public for wearing "Un-Islamic" dress or showing off parts of their body such as hands and feet. Even today, in insurgent stronghold parts of the country, girls are not allowed to go to school.
People from all walks of life are needed to play their due responsibility to generate awareness among illiterate public about women rights and elimination of violence. Ulema or religious leaders can play most effective role in this regard. But unfortunately it is not a matter of priority for them.