Women’s Rights
The article presents an issue pertaining to women’s rights. The article covers the terms of the agreement on the latest United States – Taliban agreement. The deal highlights the aspect of withdrawal of U.S. troops in fourteen months from the nation and a guarantee that terrorist groups will not utilize Taliban in threatening of the U.S. The striking element in the emerging news from the article is the absence of women in the negotiating table indicating that the terms of the agreement will not serve the best interest of Afghan women.
Furthermore, this will mark the loss of advancements made by and for women and girls in Afghanistan, thus trading away the women’s rights to the Taliban. The article presents a common theme with the course that is the implementation of women’s rights. In the article, there are raised concerns on the adherence to women’s rights upon the signing of the agreement as the absence of women leaders in the negotiating table cites trading away of women’s rights to the Taliban.
Significance of the Thesis to the Class Reading
The primary thesis that presents itself in the reading is the American – Taliban agreement shows signs of progress of the ideology of controlling women and cruelly denying them their rights. The thesis is of considerable significance in relation to the class theme of women’s rights. The thesis highlights the violation of the Women, Peace & Security Act. The Act passed in 2017 required the increase and strengthening of the women’s participation in peace negotiations and conflict resolution (Smeal).
In conjunction with that, this marks the end of the efforts made in the nation towards full implementation of women’s rights. This is because during the five-year rule of the Taliban, women, and girls were marginalized based on the treatment towards women. In realization of their motive of creating a secure environment and dignity of women, the Taliban implemented harsh policies. They comprise of banning women from seeking education after the age of eight, women were not allowed to work, and they were forced to wear the burqa at all times (Grau, 411). Any instance of violation of the harsh policies, the response was violence against women. The absence of women in negotiating is a significant indicator of trading the women’s rights to the Taliban hence a return of the Taliban era where women’s rights were disregarded.
Key concept
Women’s Rights are entitlements claimed by women and girls in the global domain. In most nations, women’s rights are supported by law, whereas in other countries, they are ignored and suppressed. In the given article, the Afghanistan constitution recognizes the rights of women that is the right to education in Article forty-three Chapter two of the constitution, which acclaims elimination of gender disparity in the schooling system and ensuring that all boys and girls complete schooling. Moreover, the nation is a signatory in major United Nations convections that is the bill of rights issued by the UN, which upholds women’s rights (Kamminga, 106). Therefore women’s rights encompass being free from sexual violence, right to education, owning of a property, taking part in a leadership position, education, equal pay, having equal rights in family law, and the right to vote, among others.
Relationship between the Course Reading and Article
In the recently held agreement, the exclusion of women in the agreement diminished the United States efforts in aiding the rebuilding of a nation where the rights of women are upheld and adhered. The progress made by the country in the post-Taliban era based on support from the U.S. and other international allies cites modern and secure lives for women. The truce agreement points an instance of a sell-out as the Taliban may impose their cruel edicts on Afghan women, thus returning to an error where women are looked down upon in the society as the society diminishes their role. The article presents a common notion concerning the class reading, where the freedom and rights of women are subject to the societal domain. In most Western nations, women’s rights are protected under the various law statues as well as the practical implementation of the policies, but in the article, it is evident that the withdrawal of troop’s treaties may result in the Taliban disregarding the Afghan statues protecting the rights of women.
The issue of gender roles is not a new concept. In the Taliban era, there was a distinctive difference between men and women, their roles in society, and their models of behavior. With the implementation of women’s rights, women in areas that are not under the Taliban rule continue to enjoy their freedom while those in areas under Taliban rule are subjected to distinctive policies between the various genders. In the course reading, it is evident that the multiple feminists’ movements have resulted in social changes, but in the text, it is evident that any form of effort in raising the concerns of rights of women is met with heavy penalties to the instance that one might lose their life. This indicates that despite the United States acquiring a truce, it was subject to sacrificing the sovereignty of Afghanistan women.
Works Cited
Grau, Bele. “Supporting women’s movements in Afghanistan: challenges of activism in a fragile context.” Gender & Development 24.3 (2016): 409-426.
Kamminga, Jorrit. “Women, peace, and security: The uphill battle of transforming Afghanistan through women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding and security.” Rebuilding Afghanistan in Times of Crisis. Routledge, 2019. 105-122.
Smeal, E. “The Latest U.S.-Taliban Agreement Jeopardizes Afghan Women’s Rights and Democracy.” Ms. Magazine, 6 Mar. 2020, msmagazine.com/2020/03/06/the-latest-u-s-taliban-agreement-jeopardizes-afghan-womens-rights-and-democracy/.