Women Have Two Rights: To Obey Their Husbands and To Pray

Most of us know how the plight of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban was used as an excuse for sending troops into Afghanistan after September 11. But what many of us don't know is how things have continued to get progressively worse for women there since U.S. troops showed up. For a video (*warning -some images are graphic*) with the voices and concerns of real women fighting for freedom in Afghanistan, watch this.

Of particular alarm is U.S. support for Hamid Karzai, who in March 2009 signed the Shia Family Law, which has devastating implications for women.

"Under the law, women must not refuse the husband's sexual demands, women must comply to intercourse every four days unless sick, women may not gain employment or receive education without their husband's permission, wives leaving home must do so with male escort or with permission and they must dress up and wear cosmetics according to the husband's desires. Refusal to do any of these would be illegal for the woman and can be enforced — the husband may stop feeding her." For those of you who are Wiki fans, read more on the Shia Family Law here.

Additionally, according to the Chief Justice of the Afghan Supreme Court, women in Afghanistan have two rights: 1. to obey their husbands, and 2. to pray (though not in a mosque).

Worse yet, apparently the Feminist Majority Foundation has decided to support further troop escalation there, according this this article.

Perhaps its time for President Obama, and especially feminist organizations globally, to start listening to the women of Afghanistan themselves. As one woman in the video put it so elegantly, "I don't believe and I don't expect any outside power to come and liberate me. If I cannot liberate myself, no one from the outside can liberate me."

For ways you can register your voice for real freedom for the women of Afghanistan, and against further troop escalation in Afghanistan, visit my favorite ladies at Code Pink.