Dear Editor,

Throughout the history, the Afghan women have suffered injustice and brutality. The government has never paid any serious attention to their rights and freedom. Even today there are numerous restrictions and violence on women except some major cities. They are not allowed to come out of their houses without a proper covering or Boorqa.

At the same time, several Afghan families do not permit their girls to go to schools – at the times of Taliban, education was completely banned on girls but now the insurgents burn schools and threaten grills to death of they continue to go to school. In their time, percentage of school going girls was almost zero.  After they were toppled in 2001, females now have access to education, and there are well-paying NGO jobs available for the elite. As compared to other provinces of Afghanistan, the numbers of school going girls are more in Kabul.

Even after the fall of Taliban, life for women has not significantly changed. In many parts of Afghanistan women have their worst days. In the south and east, life for women is mostly unchanged. They remain cloistered indoors, in Burqas, away from schools, without health care system, and without protection from physical and sexual violence. And in some ways, life is even worse than the Taliban time. It is the very responsibility of Afghan government to take notice of the female’s condition in the country.  The will ensure better social and economical development.

Shaista Hussaini

Kart-e-4 Kabul