Women have long been considered second-class citizens
in Afghanistan, but their situation became even worse
under the Islamist Taliban. NATO has said that one of
the aims of its mission in Afghanistan is that of improving
the lot of women. AP
BERLIN, Germany / Spiegel International / April 3, 2009
By Matthias Gebauer and Shoib Najafizada
A new law signed by President Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan requires Shiite women to ask their husband's permission before leaving the home and forces them to have sexual intercourse. The West is outraged, and German politicians are mulling restrictions in development aid.
It was only recently that Afghan President Hamid Karzai placed his signature under a new law pertaining to Shiite families in Afghanistan. But it didn't take long for a storm of protest to begin washing over Kabul.
Human rights activists say the new law grants even fewer rights to women than when the Islamist Taliban held sway. And in the West, more and more heads have begun shaking in disbelief. The US and Canada, in particular, are putting pressure on Karzai as a result of the law with other NATO member-states following suit.
As intense as the frustration has become, news of the new law passed in Kabul was slow to arrive in the West.
Click to continue
© SPIEGEL ONLINE 2009
April 3, 2009
AFGHANISTAN: Outrage over legalised oppression of shiite women
.
Western Outrage over Discriminatory Afghan Law
Women have long been considered second-class citizens
in Afghanistan, but their situation became even worse
under the Islamist Taliban. NATO has said that one of
the aims of its mission in Afghanistan is that of improving
the lot of women. AP
BERLIN, Germany / Spiegel International / April 3, 2009
By Matthias Gebauer and Shoib Najafizada
A new law signed by President Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan requires Shiite women to ask their husband's permission before leaving the home and forces them to have sexual intercourse. The West is outraged, and German politicians are mulling restrictions in development aid.
It was only recently that Afghan President Hamid Karzai placed his signature under a new law pertaining to Shiite families in Afghanistan. But it didn't take long for a storm of protest to begin washing over Kabul.
Human rights activists say the new law grants even fewer rights to women than when the Islamist Taliban held sway. And in the West, more and more heads have begun shaking in disbelief. The US and Canada, in particular, are putting pressure on Karzai as a result of the law with other NATO member-states following suit.
As intense as the frustration has become, news of the new law passed in Kabul was slow to arrive in the West.
Click to continue
© SPIEGEL ONLINE 2009
Women have long been considered second-class citizens
in Afghanistan, but their situation became even worse
under the Islamist Taliban. NATO has said that one of
the aims of its mission in Afghanistan is that of improving
the lot of women. AP
BERLIN, Germany / Spiegel International / April 3, 2009
By Matthias Gebauer and Shoib Najafizada
A new law signed by President Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan requires Shiite women to ask their husband's permission before leaving the home and forces them to have sexual intercourse. The West is outraged, and German politicians are mulling restrictions in development aid.
It was only recently that Afghan President Hamid Karzai placed his signature under a new law pertaining to Shiite families in Afghanistan. But it didn't take long for a storm of protest to begin washing over Kabul.
Human rights activists say the new law grants even fewer rights to women than when the Islamist Taliban held sway. And in the West, more and more heads have begun shaking in disbelief. The US and Canada, in particular, are putting pressure on Karzai as a result of the law with other NATO member-states following suit.
As intense as the frustration has become, news of the new law passed in Kabul was slow to arrive in the West.
Click to continue
© SPIEGEL ONLINE 2009
