Ms. Fawzia Koofi, a Selfless Leader, a Modern Thinker, Poet,a kind mother, an articulated teacher and a Linguist
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Women in Afghan politics:
By: Fawzia Koofi
March 15, 2009
Throughout the 20 century, the debate on women’s rights and their role in the Afghan society has been closely interlinked with the national destiny. Gender has thus been one of the most politicized issues in Afghanistan over the past 100 years, and attempts at reforms have been denounced by opponents as un Islamic and a challenge to the sanctity of the faith and family.
During conflict and civil war in 1980 and 2001s, armed factions turned the traditional norms of honor and shame into weapons of war, engaging in rape and sexual assault against women of opposing groups as an ultimate means of dishonoring entire communities and reducing people’s capacities to resist military advance. Women suffered from very serious human rights violations throughout the conflict. While it justified itself on the basis of protecting women, the Taliban regime retrogressive views on gender resulted in the opposite, as women were not allowed to work or receive even basic education and restrictions on their mobility obstructed their access medical care, education facilities and the basic rights and dignity of a human being.
With the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001, Afghanistan embarked upon a new beginning, recognizing a new contribution of the female half of the society. Despite Constitutional gender equality, Afghan women’s lives are still influenced more by the nation of complementarities between male and female roles rather then equality. Afghan women are far from a homogenous group, and differences by ethnicity, regions, socioeconomic status education level and residence in urban and rural areas are significant. Overall women’s lives center on the family and the household, which are seen as their main area of activity. The Bonn agreement called for specific attention to the rule of women and established a dedicated government structure for this purpose, Core strategy for women’s advancement is defined a gender mainstreaming in the Nationals and Development framework.
The constitution of Afghanistan passed by the constitutional Loya Jirga in 2003 proclaims that any kind of discrimination and privilege among the citizens of Afghanistan is prohibitated (article 22), and the citizens of Afghanistan have equal rights and duties before the law (Article 23). According to constitution there are 68 women in the lower house and 21 women in the upper house. Afghan constitution and Bonn agreement before that highlights the need to recognize women role in the society and in the political life. Since 2001, women could participate in all aspects of life particularly in the public sphere.
I believe that leadership potential exists within every individual. It can be developed and harnessed by exploring that hidden capacity. Academic achievement certainly plays an important rule in individual growth, particularly if it is used jointly with courage, decisiveness; and commitment. Most of the women parliamentarians are role models for other women in Afghanistan. They want to enter the public sphere to contribute to social change in their country. Some women MPs main focus area has been human rights, especially women’s and child rights.
Some of the key women’s initiatives that has championed include the working with ministry of interior to increase the number of women in Police, this will on one hand help build trust over the rule of law, on the other hand it will help reduce violence especially domestic violence against women, as some women victim don't refer to police or court to ask justice due to man dominations of police, thus, they either kill themselves or self emulate to escape the situation. There were 129 cases of self-emulation of women only in Herat province. Involving more women as police Officer build trust of more women refer to ask justice. Number of women in police differs due to traditional and security barriers from region to region, in Badakhan which is a province in northeastern part of the country and is relatively calm, since 2007 there are 30 women who have been trained to be police. In Kandahar, which is located in south and insecure province women police Officers are more at risk of life threat. As woman becomes stronger and outstanding they become easy targets, Malaly Kakar was an outspoken Police Officer in Kanadahar killed by Taliban.
Despite the challenges, women involvement in Police increases day by day, which is a great achievement not only for women Police, but also for women MPs as a supporter of this process. There has been some improvement of women’s living conditions in Afghan prisons, by approving resolutions, with some women MPs and my efforts a commission to work on the issue of violence against children is established, the commission is chaired by Afghanistan first voice president, is tasked to draw a short term and long term strategy to address violence against children especially sexual abuse of children which is increasing recently in Afghanistan, and there is a culture of impunity toward the perpetrators due to political favors and influential of criminal in the justice process of the country. Women MPs also advocates for amendment of laws that suggests savior punishment for perpetrators of child sexual abuse.
We have promoted women and girls education, by advocating for access to good schools, as well as creating opportunities for non-formal education for out of school children Afghanistan. As women in a heavily traditional country, to come this far, women have battled male domination, imposition of men’s selective religious interpretation on the rights of women and issues of power between men and women, and the old and new generations. Traditional power holders who do want the new generation to organize and be in a position to challenge traditional authority see young people as a threat. The new generation is facing multiple challenges, not just those of resources and constraints posed by the post-conflict situation in the country but the resistance from the older generation. I feel women have to work three times as hard to prove their capabilities. In the face of these challenges, women are organizing themselves in network, working together on advocacy and communication and articulating a common vision for the future of Afghanistan. The current parliament term finishes 2010.
