Politics of Policy and Legislation Affecting Women in Afghanistan: One Step Forward Two Steps Back
Central Asia, No.73. Winter 2013, pp. 1-24
24 Pages Posted: 27 Apr 2016
Date Written: 2013
Abstract
This article attempts to chart and discuss policies and legislation affecting status of Afghan women, decreed or enunciated during various Afghan regimes prior to 9/11, 2001. Woman has been point of hot contention between warring segments of Afghan society, therefore, to understand underlying politics shaping policies and laws become imperative. We have arbitrarily subdivided Afghan regimes into the Royal, Republican, Democratic Republic, Mujahideen and Taliban. Afghan social and political life in general and gender relations, in particular, have been largely regulated by tribal customs and traditions, including Pukhtunwali. The article argues that development of policies and legislation concerning status of Afghan women has been paradoxical: in case of one step taken forward, two steps in retrogression followed, due to politics of Afghan central state authority, peripheral tribal resistance/autonomy, religion, external imperial and neighbouring regional forces.
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