Ever since the United States removed the Taliban from power in Afghanistan, the world hoped that Afghanistan’s draconian laws and respect for women and culture would be renewed. However, after their legislation shot down a law that protects women’s rights, it is not so amusing to note that even after the Taliban, the equal rights of men and women are still bound by irrational culture.
Afghanistan’s conservative lawmakers have shot down the women’s protection law because it encourages women to engage in sexual activities outside of marriage. Even after the decade-long occupation of the Taliban, women’s rights in Afghanistan remain weak.
The passing of the law was met with great opposition. Although Afghanistan has 60 women lawmakers in their constitution, many of these also opposed the bill, making it one of the greatly culturally-irrational moves in history.
The law’s other provisions include criminalizing child marriage and the banning of Baad, or the buying and selling of women to settle disputes between businesses. It also criminalizes domestic violence and acquits women of any charges of fornication when they get raped.
Even if the Taliban did worse to women, such as not allowing them to work or go to school and executing them for any violation, women still have the right to protect themselves from unfair laws and unfair cultural strides that treat them as being lower than a man.
