Continuing my posts on Afghanistan, this one is about the status of women. Just have a look at some of these statistics:
- Every 30 minutes, an Afghan woman dies during childbirth
- 87 percent of Afghan women are illiterate
- 30 percent of girls have access to education in Afghanistan
- 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence
- 44 years is the average life expectancy rate for women in Afghanistan
- 70 to 80 percent of women face forced marriages in Afghanistan
Read more of this post about the women in Afghanistan here:
My post
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PS : The picture is courtesy Time
This is Aisha: Jodi Bieber was awarded World Press Photo of the Year 2010 for this picture of Bibi Aisha, who was disfigured as punishment for fleeing her husband’s house in Kabul, Afghanistan.
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Truly horrific stats there Rachna. I have been reading a lot about that country lately – I am trying not to judge things through a Western woman’s eyes but find my prejudices are too great; the culture there is as alien (to me) as reading about the Middle Ages, but even then I think Western women had more freedoms. Very disturbing.
Yes, they are pretty sad. You are right; it is often hard to comprehend what these women must be going through. We have a conservative culture compared to the Western cultures in India, but I can’t imagine what these poor women have to suffer.
i couldn’t bear to look at the pic but then even when i tried looking all over your blog just to erase the memory of her humiliation it kept coming back
the statistics are screaming out loud
This is an award winning pic on the cover of Time. This shows the cruelty that women have to put up with by getting their noses chopped off or being stoned to death for running away from abuse. Thoroughly petrifying.
OMG! Such cruelty…My heart goes out to the poor woman:(
Really sad!
Great of you to be writing on Afghanistan, Rachna. These are truly ravaging issues women are facing today in the world. I almost wrote a post on the ‘Other Afghan Girl’ (draft still with me) but stopped at the futility of it all. I was truly incensed when a Noida girl earned a meeting with Sarkozy for writing to him for allowing the French women to don burqas. (Do read it: A Burqa for Noida Girl). Someone questioned how could I represent a woman’s perspective! I asked her what she thought of Khaled Hosseini’s works, especially ‘A Thousand Splendid Sons’ (a ready reckoner on women’s state in Afghanistan)? Was he a poser or what?
Carry on the splendid job, please.
Thank you for such kind words, Umashankar. I will read the post you mentioned. Well, I find myself speaking from a man’s perspective too many times. As you rightly pointed out, Khaled Hosseini’s books have poignantly brought out the miseries faced by women in his country. And, what it essentially needs is a sensitivity and understanding as a human being that is not gender specific.
Oh my goshhhhhh can’t belive this..Cam’t say anything Hats-off for the post rachana
Thank you, Kala.
Very sad state of affairs and a shame! Things are not too different in most places in our country too even if the statistics is tweaked
Yes, you are absolutely right. We can see tribal culture prevailing in some places, but Afghanistan is quite the extreme.
This pic has become historical…symbolic of the atrocities on women in Afghanistan.
Absoutely, Alka. It is repulsive yet riveting.
it is so horrible,..Since i read A thousand splendid suns and not without my daughter, I am scared of thinking about the women there..what torture it must be to live in such countries and still not many realise their fortune in being born in India..
I agree with you. Sometimes, I count my blessings for all the freedom that I enjoy.
I have difficulty believing all this. Its like I am reading fiction.
But somewhere I am happy that Indian women are better off. No don’t get me wrong. But I keep reading about honor killing, rape et all and I wonder if any place is worse off for women.
Yes, we are better off no matter how bad things are; we are better off in India.
baapre..touching post this..btw..thanks rachnaji 4 those consoling words..and sorry for late reply.just returned to sharjah..am really touched..will stay connected:)
Thank you Ramesh and take care.
Once it was a modern country, what has become of that country. I am sorry for the past few days I am not able to go to any blogs or any links i want to go, because of some problem with the Internet, sometimes it goes and most of the times it doesn’t. But I have read a lot about this country, and I feel really bad for their situation.
So true, Rama. And that must be hurting the women even more. Imagine, if we are suddenly asked to give up working or even stepping out of the house or walk around in veil. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like living like that.
Rachna,
Read all current posts. Had a good laugh at episode of hiding under the bed. I am sure he too will get over this phase soon. I agree that extra care should be taken while on picnics. We need to definitely contribute whatsoever we can for preservation of our environment. I too feel that we go overboard in celebrations or even while talking on mobile. There is a lot which needs to be done to raise awareness about changing social stigmas. Girl or boy should be given same importance. It is going to take a long time for Afghanistan to come back to normal, that too if different factions there let it.
Take care
PS : Hope I did not miss out any.
Hello Jack uncle,
Welcome to my blog! Looks like you read quite a few posts
. Yes, that was me, scared and shy hiding under the bed 
. There is one thing I hope to see in my lifetime in India, girl and boy having an equal status.
Rachna,
I forgot to tell in my previous comment. We as parents have to undergo a lot for making our children not only happy but prepared for the competition in today’s world. So traffic woes are part of that. Navigated to Sid’s blogspace but it did not open. May I request you to send that link?
Take care
Yes uncle, We have to undergo a lot for the sake of our kids. Please try this link for Sid’s blog http://mymysteriousmusings.blogspot.in
I corrected it in my post too. Thanks for pointing that out to me.
Sad to see a country with a rich history , treating women , like sacks of potatoes.
What kind of barbarism is that ?
Our hearts go out to those women, and also for those who work to bring improvement.
Pattu
http://www.gardenerat60.wordpress.com
Totally agree, Pattu. Women always did not suffer in Afghanistan but for a few decades their lives have been worse than hell.
Hello rachna,
Nice compilation of statistics on the life of an average Afghan woman. But what shocked me more was that picture. I had seen the same picture several times, and had read about her. But still it seems pathetic.
I agree, the picture haunts you no matter how many times you see it.
I put the same picture last year ..as I have a subscription of this magazine at home..it sad,,
women still suppressed and facing all kinds of domestic violence..its sad!
Yes, it is disturbing. It is not only domestic violence, that happens all around the world including the US. It is more of not having basic rights or even a voice.
hey whats all this Afghan study from you all of a sudden and what wesbite is that?
Indian scenario is no different. 2 innocent infant deaths in less than a months time. Pathetic,
I was so disturbed that I wrote to IHM on adoption etc …
I am a guest blogger on Film Annex. This is the link to all my posts there: http://www.filmannex.com/webtv/rachna-srivastava-parmar. I am a professional writer, remember
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No, Indian scenario is not the same no matter how bleak the headlines. I’ve researched a lot on this subject, and one just cannot compare how women live in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan to anywhere else in the world.
This is just very bad and cruel and inhuman…..but i dont agree with you saying that about saudi arabia coz i live here and i know how much respect we get here…and yes i am an indian..
Well, I am glad that you are an exception. I have read at least 5 books about women in Afghanistan, and they don’t speak of pretty things.
Omg they are so beautiful
… so sadly i wish they can live their life free
I wish so too.
hello every one My name is Shoaib Ataee and I work for an organization that help women in afghanistan and i currently live here and we are looking for people who can help us and afghan women this is our email address you can send us an email for more information
afghanfarhang786@gmail.com
website: http://www.afghanfarhang.com
facebook.com/afghanfarhangAssociation