Prince Abdul Ali Seraj on the status of women in Afghanistan Part 1

Featured, South Central/South Asia — By Kathleen Wells on March 1, 2010 at 6:08 am

Prince Seraj: Historically, the Afghan women have always stood by their men.  In fact, their bravery in times of defending their family or country is heralded in our history books.  Rudyard Kipling had some choice verses about the valor of the Afghan women.  During battles, the women accompanied the men in order to cook for them or take care of their injuries.

During the second Anglo-Afghan war — known as the battle of Maiwand in Kandahar, 1879* — when the Afghan fighters were forced to retreat, Malalai, an 18-year-old Pushtun girl, coaxed the men to battle by removing her veil and twirling it over her head as a banner and rushed the British soldiers. Seeing this act of bravery, the men reacted and attacked the enemy.  Malalai died in that battle, but she won the day.  The British lost an entire regiment in that battle.  She died for freedom.

Another Afghan heroine was Rabhia Balkhi, who was born in Balkh, Afghanistan, and the daughter of the governor. She was the very first female Persian (Dari) poetess.  Her works have been translated into English.  When her brother, Haares, found out that she was secretly in love with a slave, he cut her jugular vein and imprisoned her in a bathroom.  She wrote her last and final poem on the bathroom wall with her blood until she died. She died for freedom.

Naheed was a sixteen-year-old high school girl who, in 1985 while demonstrating against the communists and the Soviet soldiers, taunted the police to wear her school scarf, stating that they were not men enough to do so.  Her cries of “Give me liberty or give death” were answered with a bullet in her chest.  She died for freedom.

Malalai Joya [is the] parliamentarian in 2005 [who] defied the warlords in the parliament by delivering a powerful speech demanding their removal from the house of the people.  The warlords removed her from the Parliament and threatened her life. She is in constant danger of being assassinated.

Then there are thousands of other Afghan women who defied the Taliban and paid for it with their lives.  They all died for freedom.

Kathleen Wells: Has the status of women declined since the election of President Karzai?

Prince Seraj: No. The status of women has not declined.  Women are making small gains daily.  Among most urban families, they are equal to their husbands as bread earners.

I believe that, just as my uncle looked to the economic role that the women of Afghanistan could play within the society at large, we should convince the male society of the important economic role that their spouses and daughters could play for the financial benefit of the family.

Kathleen Wells: UNICEF’s report “The State of the World’s Children” says that Afghanistan is the most dangerous place for girls to be born. With Afghanistan having the highest infant mortality rate in the world and a significant drop in children going to school — especially girls– what are the threats Afghans face in making significant progress?

Prince Seraj: While it is true that Afghanistan has a high infant mortality rate, it is by no means the most dangerous place for girls to be born in.  There are countries in Africa which make Afghanistan a walk in the park.  More value is placed on a boy being born in India than a girl.  More girls are going to school, and they are more successful in their studies than their male counterparts.

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Author: Kathleen Wells (13 Articles)

Kathleen Wells

Kathleen Wells, J.D., is a political correspondent for Race-Talk. Kathleen is a native of Los Angeles and has degrees in political science and law, from UCLA and UC Berkeley, respectively. She writes/blogs on law and politics.

  • 2 Comments

  • HHH says:

    Well, I am sorry for the people who just want to show the world, the worst happening in Afghanistan,now a days in Afghanistan we have women congress members, women Army and Police Generals,Journalists, Activists, Lawyers, Teacher, Professors, singers etc..
    With all due respect, I beg you to please stop spreading wrong information about my country.

    If any one need to know the current news about Afghan women in Afghanistan Please email me at
    [email protected] , I will be more then happy to help you find the truth.

    Habibzada

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