Atrocities In Afganistan (Women) Essay

     Before the Taliban took over Afghanistan the country was fairly progressive in terms of women’s rights. There were women in Parliament, medicine, law, engineering and many other creditable professions (Shanahan). The majority of teachers were women (Shanahan). Half of the civil servants and university students were women (Shanahan). It seems the Afghan society was much like our own in relation to gender equality.      The current situation in Afghanistan contrasts the old one as black does white. Few women are permitted to work. Those who are must do so inside their homes (Stop). Girls are banned from attending school after the age of eight (Stop). A journalist speaks of girls not being allowed to leave the state orphanage building since 1996 although the boys go outside every day to attend school and play (Stop). The Taliban have severely limited women’s access to medical services because male physicians aren’t allowed to treat women and only a few selected female physicians can work only if they are veiled and treat only women (Stop). The punishments for violating the Taliban's laws are even more appalling than the laws themselves and are among the most savage in the world. Often the punishments are dealt out in public in front of thousands of spectators. 30,000 men and boys gathered in an arena to eat biscuits and drink tea while watching women receiving the 100-lash