CASR

Canadian
American
Strategic
Review

Afghan  Mission  –   Women's  Rights  –   NATO / ISAF  –  April  2009 Divisions over  Women's Rights  —  Not by Sex,  But by Education  —  Major Issue  in the  Presidential  Election Edited  excerpts  from  an  article  published  by  Associated  Press  [1] Many  Male  Politicians  &  Intellectuals  Join  the  Battle  for  Women's  Rights [On 15 April] Afghan women protested a restrictive law that critics say legalizes [sexual coercion within marriage]. [2]  Even  though  crowds  of  men  threw stones and shouted  insults at the  protesters, a few men  marched  and  chanted  alongside  the  women. These are the  men – many of  them  prominent male politicians and intellectuals – who are taking up the battle  for  women's  rights  and  calling  for  change. The act of solidarity is  more than just a bright spot. Activists  say  that  men's  support  for  women's  rights  is vital  in this  patriarchal culture,  where  men  hold  sway  in  government – and  within  the  Afghan  family. In this [ traditionalist ] country,  men – who are the main  breadwinners  in  nearly all  Afghan  households  –  take on  a  certain degree  of  risk  when  they  support women's  freedom  in  public.  In  Afghanistan,  anyone  who opposes  the  clerics can  quickly  become  a  political  and  social  pariah.  However,  a number of  male [ parliamentarians ], and even some cabinet ministers,  have opposed the new  law. The  foreign  minister,  Rangeen  Dadfar  Spanta  drafted  a  petition  against  the law.  It  was  signed  by  more  than  one  hundred  ( 100 )  Afghan  officials  and public figures,  including  six  government  ministers and  twenty-two  lawmakers. In  an  interview,  Spanta  said  that  he  would  likely  have  had  signatures  from most  of  the  cabinet,  but he had to get the  petition out quickly.  Spanta said he felt impelled to draft the petition.  Otherwise he would be deserting  human  rights. Karzai  suspected  of  courting  the  conservative  vote  for  presidential  election The complicated nature of the debate is apparent even in the actions of President Hamid  Karzai,  who has long been a  vocal supporter of women's rights,  but who signed  the controversial  marriage bill  into law  in  March.  His administration has said  that  Karzai  was  not  aware  that  the articles limiting  women's  mobility and restricting  their  right  to  refuse sex were  in  the  document  that  he  had  signed. However, Zia Moballegh, who advises the government on family law reform, said that the justice minister  told  him not to expect the review to be completed before the end of  Karzai's term.  The statement  adds fuel to accusations that Karzai may have signed the law to court conservative votes in an upcoming August election. Reached by phone,  Justice Minister Mohammad Sarwar Danish said no timetable has been established  for the review.  He would not predict when it might be done. As with many of  the women  fighting  for greater freedom in Afghanistan,  many male supporters  are  young  or  have lived abroad – a trend that has added power to  traditionalist's  arguments  that  the  cry  for  equal  rights  comes  from  people who  have  been  ' corrupted '  by  the  West.  Case  in  point :   Foreign   Minister Spanta  became an advocate for  women's  rights  while he was living  in Germany. On  the  day  of  the  protest,  one  young  man –  who  had  taken  two  hours  off work  in  order  to  to  join  the  demonstration  against  the  new  law  –  said  that he could see the  shock  in  the eyes of  the  counter - protesters  because  he was on  the  other  side  of  the police  cordon.  "I  believe  in  freedom  and  equality ," he said.  "For me,  men  and  women are [ equal ]."  Still,  he  did  not  want  to give his  name  or  his  place of  work,  saying  that  he  did  not  want  to  be  harassed. [1]         First  published  by  Associated  Press  ( AP ) – 16  April  2009              Article  written  by  Heidi  Vogt  –   reporting  from  Kabul. [2] CASR  prefers to reserve the highly-charged word  ' rape '  for  an  aggressive,       physical  attack  causing  bodily  harm.   Afghan  law  already  prohibits  rape.