Pashtun woman, a challenge to the conscience of the Humanity and human rights groups.

[Badlun]

UN blames rise in violence against Afghan women on culture
UN blames rise in violence against Afghan women on culture | World | DAWN.COM

[Badlun]

oppressive customs: Seven arrested after Swara victim attempts suicide

http://tribune.com.pk/story/600386/oppressive-customs-seven-arrested-after-swara-victim-attempts-suicide/

[Badlun]

More often than not, I come across distressing stories about women who are beaten, tortured, maimed, and in some of the worst cases, killed by male (and sometimes even female) members of their families. It never fails to surprise me when I learn that many of these cases are on account of an honour that was supposedly ‘stained’. This ‘staining’ hence serves as an excuse for people to resort to violence – violence against women, in particular – which has always been a global pandemic.
One of the most recent of such horrid stories, or so-called ‘honour-killings’, occurred in Darra Adam Khel district, on September 16, 2013, where a Pashtun woman named Sadia, her aunt Aman and cousin Asia were heartlessly gunned down by Sadia’s husband, Jahangir in the Darra Adam Khel district, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, after a local jirga accused her of ‘dishonouring’ the family.
This ‘dishonouring’ was due to the allegation that Sadia had not only abandoned her home – and her husband, to whom she was connubially obligated to – but that she had actually run away with another man. And, mind you, there was no proof to back up this claim; it was only something her husband assumed, thus justifying his decision to kill her.
Upon reading this story, not only did my heart go out to those poor women, but I also felt my blood level rising for this isn’t the first time we’ve learnt of such women who have been gunned down and murdered, so brutally, due to this matter of honour. Though many of these honour killings happen in Central and South Asia, it is undoubtedly a universal crisis with no end in sight as it is so deeply rooted in some societies, including amongst Pashtuns.
In the Pashtun context, those who are familiar with the traditional Pashtun code that predates Islam – Pashtunwali – will quickly realise that one of the most prominent tenants of the way of the Pashtuns is that of nang/namus, which literally means “protecting the honour of women”, in the Pashto language. It is known that Pashtuns are overtly conscious about the honour of their women, and any slight molestation or assault is considered a serious crime.
Men were actually taught to respect women; to truly honour them, so that no harm would come to them.
Ironically, what had started out as the protection of women has now suddenly become ugly and twisted; the Pashtunwali that was practiced more than 5,000 years ago is not the same anymore. It seems to have been distorted beyond recognition.
Now, women are told that they are responsible for their own protection and that too by being forced to cover themselves in either the paruney or a shuttlecock burqa. Women, especially in tribal areas, have become nothing more than a commodity – an object to be bought and sold through customs as such swara and walwar. And hence, encompasses the region’s social, political, economic and psychological structure.
As a result, cases of adultery and illicit relations are dealt with harshly – almost too harshly – so that no life is spared to those involved, even if it means murdering them in the name of “honour”.
It’s such a Catch-22 isn’t it? While it is the woman’s responsibility to ensure that she ‘protects’ herself – her body – to maintain this honour, it not only delineates her status in society, but it also holds the power to cost her her very life.
This twisted version of maintaining honour has almost become like an unwritten rule – a rule that has been instilled in these women since the day they are born and it is a rule that they are constantly reminded of each and every single day of their lives. Unfortunately, it is a rule that most probably will not change any time soon, as pessimistic as this may sound, due to the reason that it is so deeply ingrained in the society and the culture in which it is practiced.
True honour, in my opinion, has become nothing but a thing of the past. To kill, in the name of honour, not only demeans the very essence of the word itself but it goes to show the barbarity of those who use it with false pride.
The tragedy is that, for those who practice this heinous crime, honour lies in taking lives, not in making lives better.
The late Ghani Khan, a most respected Pashtun poet, artist and intellectual, said it best:

“The Pashtun is not a wanton killer, but a victim of his own distorted sense of honour.”

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/18921/bloodstained-honour-is-not-honourable-at-all/

[Badlun]

What a horrible state of affairs regarding women in our society

What a horrible state of affairs regarding women in our society


By Fawad Hasan

KARACHI: Sahir Ludhianvi says in one of his many poems, "Hum jo insaanon ki tehzeeb liye phirtay hain, hum saa wehshi koi jungle ke darindoun men nahi" (We who boast of our civilization, are so savage that our brutality cannot be matched with the beasts of the jungles). Little did he know, how with the passage of time this brutality would increase and turn man into an untamed, runaway monster.

Not many who visit government hospitals in the mega city of Pakistan have any idea how embarrassed humanity gets there whenever a woman, badly injured owing to various reasons, is admitted in the Emergency Department. The crimes committed against women do not make the headlines in media because 'honour' of a woman is more sacred and delicate than her right to live, and live like a human being.

As if these crimes committed against the fairer sex were not brutal enough to suppress their living, the silence that follows this subjugation of rights is even more disheartening and criminal. The cases, which the team of Daily Times has discovered can easily make all of us, re-think the way women are treated in our society - merely as a tool to take pleasure from.

"I have worked at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and know a bit about injury cases women usually come up with. Although these women are not at all near comfort level to talk to the male doctors, but we get to know their miseries through our female colleagues", said a resident doctor on condition of anonymity. He added that sex-related injuries in women are common mainly because of the questionable tradition of getting the daughters married when they are still in their pre-teens. "Their young age does not prevent the strong, manly spouse to understand the limitations of a girl's body, which the former would use like beasts causing vaginal tears, perineal body tearing, severe internal bleeding resulting in cardio vascular collapse (shock) in short term, as well as sexually-transmitted diseases, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility in the long-run," he said sorrowfully.

Rape which ends up taking the life of victim finishes off the chances of more miseries, but the victims who fall prey to the crime ending up being in a hospital bed have to face miseries after miseries that usually follow. Women who go through such regrettable incidents are considered persona non grata or social outcasts. Their lives are torn apart not only by the innumerable rape-related medical problems, but also by the social boycott our male-dominated society evokes for them.

When authorities concerned were contacted to know the recorded statistics of these cases so that the general public come to know of these inhumane happenings, sheer callousness was apparent in the behaviour of several doctors privy to the information. Seemi Jamali, the head of the Emergency Department at the JPMC, indifferently stated that it was not her department, and someone by the name of Jaleel Qadir could be helpful in this regard.

Jaleel Qadir, is a police surgeon, whose behaviour to such a serious issue was quite deplorable. Dr Qadir, having listened to the plea of Daily Times reporter to get the information, would cut the call and ignore the legion of calls made afterwards.

Who is to blame? Wild, beast-like men wearing the skin of humans who do not think twice to assault the women or professionals, who fear getting into the controversy by telling the truth and bringing the serious issue to the notice of public? Perhaps if Qadir had said anything about the attackers, it would have affronted the gender he takes pride in belonging to. For the victims, more vicious, rigorous and brutal is the silence that plagues the society once the crime is committed against women than the rape itself.

In the search of truth, a private hospital, which receives sex-related injuries, was contacted. Dr Shabinaz of Sobraj Hospital, shared with Daily Times what she has come to know working in the gynaecology section for quite a number of years. "Majority of the cases which come to our hospital are the consequences of incest that we at the outset do not accept to deal with because of the law. But the patients would be bleeding so intensely that we at our hospital cannot deny them the needed treatment," she said.

By incest she meant a father having forced sex with his daughter. The cases are not registered, rather criminally, because of the family's honour. "We've also have received scores of cases of young boys mercilessly sodomised by strangers or even their uncles," added the doctor.

Shabinaz revealed a recent case, which was brought to her hospital, of an 11-year-old girl raped by her cousin. The victim's family thought the kids were fighting while playing when they heard the girl's cries. The victim almost bled to death until the staff at the mentioned hospital attended to save her life. Again this case was not registered, no FIR was filed because if they had done so, it would have brought disgrace to their family, said the doctor with a hint of grief in her voice.

Our society has kept ignoring an aspect of our not-so-holy-traditions, which is marital rape. As the interviews revealed, attempts of anal sex on married girls cause untold miseries. The lack of proper sex education adversely affects the sex life of many couples. Speaking to Daily Times, a doctor told that victim's come with anal injuries, which are often followed by infection.

Women hold so vulnerable a position that raising hue and cry against this inhumanity is next to impossible for them, which strengthens the male-chauvinist-beasts of our society. This subjugation of basic rights and suppression of women have not emerged out of the blue, but are consequences of seminal values people have been imbued with. Once during an interview, the number one of Jamat-e-Islami requested women to remain silent having been raped, because their speaking of the crime can bring about evil and impurity in the society.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\09\23\story_23-9-2013_pg7_17

[Karachi]

What a horrible state of affairs regarding women in our society


By Fawad Hasan

KARACHI: Sahir Ludhianvi says in one of his many poems, "Hum jo insaanon ki tehzeeb liye phirtay hain, hum saa wehshi koi jungle ke darindoun men nahi" (We who boast of our civilization, are so savage that our brutality cannot be matched with the beasts of the jungles). Little did he know, how with the passage of time this brutality would increase and turn man into an untamed, runaway monster.

Not many who visit government hospitals in the mega city of Pakistan have any idea how embarrassed humanity gets there whenever a woman, badly injured owing to various reasons, is admitted in the Emergency Department. The crimes committed against women do not make the headlines in media because 'honour' of a woman is more sacred and delicate than her right to live, and live like a human being.

As if these crimes committed against the fairer sex were not brutal enough to suppress their living, the silence that follows this subjugation of rights is even more disheartening and criminal. The cases, which the team of Daily Times has discovered can easily make all of us, re-think the way women are treated in our society - merely as a tool to take pleasure from.

"I have worked at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and know a bit about injury cases women usually come up with. Although these women are not at all near comfort level to talk to the male doctors, but we get to know their miseries through our female colleagues", said a resident doctor on condition of anonymity. He added that sex-related injuries in women are common mainly because of the questionable tradition of getting the daughters married when they are still in their pre-teens. "Their young age does not prevent the strong, manly spouse to understand the limitations of a girl's body, which the former would use like beasts causing vaginal tears, perineal body tearing, severe internal bleeding resulting in cardio vascular collapse (shock) in short term, as well as sexually-transmitted diseases, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility in the long-run," he said sorrowfully.

Rape which ends up taking the life of victim finishes off the chances of more miseries, but the victims who fall prey to the crime ending up being in a hospital bed have to face miseries after miseries that usually follow. Women who go through such regrettable incidents are considered persona non grata or social outcasts. Their lives are torn apart not only by the innumerable rape-related medical problems, but also by the social boycott our male-dominated society evokes for them.

When authorities concerned were contacted to know the recorded statistics of these cases so that the general public come to know of these inhumane happenings, sheer callousness was apparent in the behaviour of several doctors privy to the information. Seemi Jamali, the head of the Emergency Department at the JPMC, indifferently stated that it was not her department, and someone by the name of Jaleel Qadir could be helpful in this regard.

Jaleel Qadir, is a police surgeon, whose behaviour to such a serious issue was quite deplorable. Dr Qadir, having listened to the plea of Daily Times reporter to get the information, would cut the call and ignore the legion of calls made afterwards.

Who is to blame? Wild, beast-like men wearing the skin of humans who do not think twice to assault the women or professionals, who fear getting into the controversy by telling the truth and bringing the serious issue to the notice of public? Perhaps if Qadir had said anything about the attackers, it would have affronted the gender he takes pride in belonging to. For the victims, more vicious, rigorous and brutal is the silence that plagues the society once the crime is committed against women than the rape itself.

In the search of truth, a private hospital, which receives sex-related injuries, was contacted. Dr Shabinaz of Sobraj Hospital, shared with Daily Times what she has come to know working in the gynaecology section for quite a number of years. "Majority of the cases which come to our hospital are the consequences of incest that we at the outset do not accept to deal with because of the law. But the patients would be bleeding so intensely that we at our hospital cannot deny them the needed treatment," she said.

By incest she meant a father having forced sex with his daughter. The cases are not registered, rather criminally, because of the family's honour. "We've also have received scores of cases of young boys mercilessly sodomised by strangers or even their uncles," added the doctor.

Shabinaz revealed a recent case, which was brought to her hospital, of an 11-year-old girl raped by her cousin. The victim's family thought the kids were fighting while playing when they heard the girl's cries. The victim almost bled to death until the staff at the mentioned hospital attended to save her life. Again this case was not registered, no FIR was filed because if they had done so, it would have brought disgrace to their family, said the doctor with a hint of grief in her voice.

Our society has kept ignoring an aspect of our not-so-holy-traditions, which is marital rape. As the interviews revealed, attempts of anal sex on married girls cause untold miseries. The lack of proper sex education adversely affects the sex life of many couples. Speaking to Daily Times, a doctor told that victim's come with anal injuries, which are often followed by infection.

Women hold so vulnerable a position that raising hue and cry against this inhumanity is next to impossible for them, which strengthens the male-chauvinist-beasts of our society. This subjugation of basic rights and suppression of women have not emerged out of the blue, but are consequences of seminal values people have been imbued with. Once during an interview, the number one of Jamat-e-Islami requested women to remain silent having been raped, because their speaking of the crime can bring about evil and impurity in the society.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-9-2013_pg7_17

one of the most interesting quotes I have seen, and it describes the jahilya of muslim world and how delusional we are

[TURK]

Pashtun woman, a challenge to the conscience of the Humanity and human rights groups.

The status of Pashtun woman in this modern era is challenge to the humanity as a whole and the human rights groups specially. Status of Pashtun women is worse then that of a dog. Because a dog has liberty to move around but a Pashtun woman has to pass her whole house in the prison of the four walls of her house, even a dog has fundamental freedom of movement but a Pashtun woman has none!

I practically see that 95% of Pashtun women in Pakistan and Afghanistan pass their whole life within the limits of their houses, the only exceptions is that when they go to hospitals or relatives homes, many times fully covered and accompanied by a male guardian. Is it a life worthy to lead? Why about 30 millions Pashtun women are socially imprisoned.

There are many other rights like inheritance which must be given to Pashtun women. That with modern education the things are changing but I think once the Pashtun women have the basic right of free movement then they can go to universities and colleges and can participate in social events freely not necessarily under the command of their male Guardians .We must treat Pashtun women as human beings equal to men not a dependent on their men whether husbands, fathers, brothers or sons.

Let’s start a movement to liberate the 30 million Pashtun women who are prisoners in their own homes. They are born within the 4 walls and die within the 4 walls of their houses. They are sentenced with life time imprisonment. How can we liberate Pashtun women from this life time imprisonment? Let’s think and act in the right direction.

For ameliorating the status of Pashtun woman we have to take start from the scratch, from zero. We have to do some thing to take out Pashtun woman from the quagmire they have been fallen by so called Pashtun traditions, Pashtun society, Pashtun chauvinist men and false ideas and wrongly interpreted injunctions of religion and dictates of mullahs.

Some friends think that Pashtuns as a whole, both men and women are downtrodden so talking only of women is not justified.

I agree that Pashtuns as a nation, as a race, both men and women are suffering. We don’t have a single Nobel Prize holder, a single world level scientist or technologist, or philosopher or scholar etc. Yes we have suicide bombers, terrorists, Taliban, dacoits, robbers, all negative, nothing positive.

But here the theme of this article is even the worse status of women, who don’t have the basic right of movement and expression. We have to break their chains; men at least have these rights. They are economically better than women. Women totally depend on their men partners socially and economically. Situation of Pashtun women is many times worse than Pashtun men.

All of us have great ideas for the development and improvement of the status of Pashtun women but what remains is the implementation strategy. How to implement all these ideas. Charity begins at home. Let’s start from our sisters, mothers, wives, daughters, cousins, friends etc and then to expand the sphere of influence to other sectors of society. Education especially modern education and democracy are the excellent panaceas for all the ills of the Pashtun women.

We must launch a campaign against all kinds of obscurantist and fundamentalist Mullahs, Taliban and their Madrassas specially the extremist Deobandi ,Wahabi , Ahle Hadith and Salafi ones.

However the best struggle can be through peaceful means, by education, internet, youth societies, encouraging Pashtun women and men by various motivational means to understand the dilapidated status of Pashtun women in Pashtun society and adopt all ways and means to change this horrible status of Pashtun women.

Our focus should be Pashtun woman, not Pakistani woman or Muslim woman. We must think on the status of Pashtun woman whether she is in Pakistan or Afghanistan or anywhere else because Pashtun woman on account of the lethal combination of Pashtunwali and so called extremist Islam is suffering because of the traditions and tenets which are barbaric, inhuman, cruel and demonic.

There is a dire need of launching of an awareness campaign that Pashtun woman first must understand their position where they are. Then take steps to improve the situation in such a way that the traditional family system remains undisturbed but woman starts enjoying their fundamental rights of choice, expression and movement and education.

Government, Taliban and Mullahs Islam -all these may be some of the reasons of the downtrodden condition of Pashtun woman but for me the amalgam of Pashtunwali and the traditional Islam of Taliban and Mullahs is the biggest cause and on these two fronts we have to fight to improve the status of woman in Pashtun society .

On religious front there is a need of reformation and telling the Pashtun woman that they can participate in day to day activities like the wives of the Prophet and his companions. On Pashtunwali front we have to educate our Pashtun men that Pashtun woman is not the sole depositary for his honor and Pashtunwali. If his wife, sister, mother, or daughter goes around and does some business, participates in social , political and economic or educational activities or even religious activity like going to mosques, then its not the end of the world. He should not feel mortified that his woman is talking to others or doing business with others and that this is against his, honor, ghairat or Pashtunwali.

Pashtun woman is equally an independent Pashtun. A Pashtun man and Pashtun woman should deal each other on equality basis, not one superior or inferior to other ,like a perfect pair based on mutual respect, love and understanding not a boss and subordinate relationship.

I wish that all the Pashtun women are liberated from the prison of their houses with the honor of Pashtunwali but with their liberty of movement and expression and economic activities.

I need comments, feed back from Pashtun sisters and brothers that how can we liberate millions of Pashtun women from their jails in the shape of their homes. Is it possible to start a Pashtun women movement for liberating them from the clutches of their male masters, enabling them to move freely , to get education where they want and join jobs where they wish.

How can we further control this wave of Talibanization who are bent upon destroying girls’ schools in many Pashtun lands? Can we do any thing or we should leave Pashtun women at the mercy of these barbaric wolves

Pragmatism with idealism and realism with vision and imagination should be used to solve all problems and in this context the solution to the Problems of Pashtun women lies in the panacea of great ideas of democracy with its implementation in all social and political spheres and the implementation of the philosophical concepts of liberty, equality and fraternity by modern education and religious reformation and reinterpretation. We must take start from own families, homes, villages, towns, cities and countries to bring a positive change in the status of Pashtun woman.
Pashtun women dress is an important issue. More than 90 % Pashtun women even can’t show their faces in public. They have to cover their whole body like we cover a corpse in coffin. Saudi Arabia and Pashtun areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Pashtunland) are the only two examples even in Muslim world where women are obliged to cover their faces. This is a clear absurdity, an extreme stupidity in this modern era that you don’t let a human being even not to show her face.

However we should avoid extremes of shuttle cock burkas and mini skirts. If a Pashtun woman is a professional lady , if she is intelligent, if she is knowledgeable, if she is intellectual and she is Pashtun by race and by practice , she speaks Pashto, she writes Pashto , she teaches Pashto to her children - all these are important , not how she lives, where she lives , she wears skirt or paint shirt or kamees partug -these are non essential for me ,-however we should avoid both the extremes-mini skirt and shuttle cock burKa are two extremes , we should find a middle way especially when a Pashtun woman live in Pashtunland till the time comes when dress does not remain an important issue as we see now a days in modern developed world of Europe, America etc.

Marriage of Pashtun woman is also an important issue. Specially the early marriages, the purely arranged marriages etc. However the religious aspect of marriage of Pashtun men or women with Muslims or non Muslims is not my concern. Its some body individual right how to marry and where to marry. My main concern is the social, legal and economic situation of Pashtun women.

We should admit that Pashtun women have lots of social, legal and economic problems .We have to liberate Pashtun women -the 35 million Pashtun women living like slaves are to be liberated. Its a big challenge for human rights organizations and for all those who have little bit of conscience.

One argument is that we should wait till other more important problems of Pashtun society are solved, and then we shall concentrate on gender and Pashtun women issues.

But we must realize that Pashtun women are 50% of Pashtun population. They are part of Pashto and Pashtunwali. We can’t wait till the times when everything will be all right with Pashtuns then we shall tackle the gender issue. It’s not an unimportant issue-its part and parcel of the whole reformation and development scheme for Pashtuns. It’s not a secondary issue. We have to take it up with war footings basis-it’s a burning issue. Pashtuns politics, culture, religion, society, international relations, education, all are related to Pashtun women too.

Pashtun women problems solution is concomitant with Pashtun problems in general. We have to adopt a holistic approach not a piece meal one. How can a Pashtun ignore for the time being the problems of his mother, wife, sister, and daughter-no way.

The emancipation of Pashtun women has political dimension but its more a religious, cultural, educational, psychological, legal and social issue. Our society, family, culture, laws, misinterpretation of religion and less opportunities of education are the main factors for the downtrodden situation of Pashtun women. As I earlier said charity begins at home. We may take start from own homes from our own wives, sisters, daughters and even mothers (I am facing a tough time with my mother. it’s very difficult to make her understand about the situation of Pashtun women).

It’s also my observation that even women themselves are great obstacle in the way of improvement of the situation of Pashtun women. Many times a mother does not wish the betterment of her own daughter. She is responsible for the wrong marriage of her daughter-she does not let her daughter to get modern education etc.

We should educate girls for good marriages and for leading a happy and full life. Those who are not educated formally may be educated informally or non formally. We must begin the charity at our own homes. Problems like early marriages, marriages without consent, purely arranged marriages etc may be discouraged with full strength. There are even such Pashtun women who can’t go to hospitals and even they have to deliver their babies at homes in the hands of elderly women or unskilled maids.

I wish some friends from Pakistan and Afghanistan may share with us the literacy rate of Pashtun women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. I tried my best but could not get the required data.

There are also some so called idealists and visionaries who think that gender issues no more exist in Pashtun society and that only general economic problems for both men and women exist but no women specific problems exist any more!

I would like to remind to these friends that what about the girls schools issue in the Swat and other Pashtun regions?? Why Taliban are adamant on destroying only Pashtun girls’ schools? What about the hijab/pardah/veil/burqa Issue of Pashtun women? What about the inheritance and evidence issues of Pashtun women? What about the forced and early marriages of Pashtun girls? What about selling of Pashtun women by the name of marriages?

What about the economic opportunities issues for Pashtun women in Pashtun world? Have you seen a single Pashtun women for example a shopkeeper in the whole specially rural areas of Pashtun land? Majority of Pashtun women still depend economically and financially on their men. Can you imagine of a Pashtun lawyer in district courts in Pashtun areas'?

Can a Pashtun woman walk, travel and move freely and alone in Pashtun villages. How much is the percentage of Pashtun boys and girls in universities and colleges? And many more like these.

Pashtun women issues of discrimination exist and is in the worst form. We can’t portray a rosy picture or mix men problems with women problems. I agree there are common problems of Pashtun men and women like poverty but there are many problems which are only and only women specific.

Many Pashtun women adjust themselves with the situation and accept the reality. My mother is also like that. She does not want any change, any freedom. She is happy where she is. All the time at home except when has to go hospital or any ceremony!

Some friends think that Pashtun women face problems only in poor families but in the well off families too I have seen they don’t allow their female members to do whatever they want in a genuine manner. They are mostly at mercy of the male members. They may go to co education institutions but may not allow the girls to choose their life partner at their own sweet will. And how many well off families we have? Few in big cities. Majority of Pashtuns live in rural areas and they are either poor or middle class. Especially in tribal and mountainous areas the situation is worst.

There are various women rights organizations and feminists but not in Pashtun areas first because Pashtuns don’t let such organizations to work in their areas, second the world has not become conscious so far of the women issues in Pashtun society. We are engaged in many other areas like terrorism and political issues and the women problems have been put at back burner.


We need to build our society from bottom up and that a proper background has to be set for any change that we want to see in our society. We must bring the change in a pragmatic and effective way.

Pashtun code of life or Pashtunwali is the basic right which all Pashtun women should have but first the Pashtun basic code or Pashtunwali is not very well defined, not in written shape so far like a constitution or a legal penal or civil code and thus may not be implemented as such and many times it is abused like the honor killings of Pashtun women based on this code. Often the whole code revolves around women honor while the code says nothing of the women rights.

The gender Equality is a technical issue. I have seen that one factor for the progress of the West is gender equality. They don’t keep half of their population at homes but utilize them as human resource whether male or female. The only biological difference of reproduction mechanism of woman and man makes not a big difference. How many children will be born by a woman, 1, 2 , not dozens like by Pashtun women. Women are there in the West every where, astronauts, pilots, truck drivers, shop keepers, industrialists, mangers, teachers, etc .The gender does not stop them doing any thing. Gender is more a psychological and social issue than biological. I don’t see where in West the gender equality was a failure. only their family system is disturbed but that may not happen in the Pashtun society.

Girls’ schools issue is an issue of Pashtun society. Why it does not happen in a non Pashtun society majority of these enemies of women education , the Taliban etc are so called Pashtuns unfortunately.

Hijab and BURQA is a serious issue. It stops the free movement of women in Pashtun society and they always need a Pashtun man to guard them. Once the Pashtun women come to streets with out hijab, at least their faces open ,the Pashtun men curiosity will be satisfied and hen it will become a normal scene for them to see women as in Punjab or west or other Islamic countries like Malaysia or Turkey.

Similarly evidence and inheritance are basic issues. Pashtun women must get their equal share in inheritance for their economic independence and they may not need to bring 4 witnesses to show they are violated and two Pashtun women may not be equal to one man in evidence. Here we need religious reformation or reinterpretation of Quranic injunctions.

Let’s create awareness about the status of the Pashtun woman in the modern world so they can come to our rescue and at the same time we should be catalysts for change in our society and me models for others. Let’s establish and cooperate with NGOs working on women issues. Let’s convey our concerns to the government, women ministries and UN engaged in women related activities. Let’s do whatever possible to liberate Pashtun women from their life time imprisonment.

ARTICLE CONCLUDED

We all know there are some problems not only with pashtun women but with all women whether they are here or in western society. But your post was extremely exaggerated. If I can say it a post rather I should call it a book. Oh it took a whole day to read your book like post.

[Badlun]

We all know there are some problems not only with pashtun women but with all women whether they are here or in western society. But your post was extremely exaggerated. If I can say it a post rather I should call it a book. Oh it took a whole day to read your book like post.

Thanks for dedicating your precious time. But after reading the article for such a long time I expect more criticism and deeper comments.

As I have explained above Pashtun women have some particular and peculiar problems for example

1. Can you see a single young Pashtun woman with uncovered face while travelling from Kandahar to Shangla(except in some nomadic caravan or cantonment street in Peshawar)

2. Can you tell me a single Pashtun woman as a shopkeeper, manager of a private business enterprise in Pakistan or Afghanistan

3. Except school going or some employee women can you see a Pashtun woman travelling alone without a male companion?

4. Traditions like Swara, Walwar, no inheritance for women,selling of daughters in marriages etc are special evils of Pashtun society.

5. Are there some cases of bombing girls schools in any other society of the world?

Besides such peculiar issues with 35 millions Pashtun women, they share all other problems being faced by all women of the world.

[waterbear_waterbear]

Has anyone read something about Albanian/Kosovo society? How it's patriachal and how women are treated the same way?

[Badlun]

Has anyone read something about Albanian/Kosovo society? How it's patriachal and how women are treated the same way?

There are many societies which are patriarchal but there are no restrictions on the movement of women or having their own business or earning opportunity or forced to cover their entire bodies including faces. The only other society closely resembeling Pashtun society is Saudi society.

[waterbear_waterbear]

There are many societies which are patriarchal but there are no restrictions on the movement of women or having their own business or earning opportunity or forced to cover their entire bodies including faces. The only other society closely resembeling Pashtun society is Saudi society.

North Albanian or Kosovar Albanian women can't own their own business or earn an opportunity which is what i'm aware of. Albanian sworn virgin is a custom and is alot like Bacha Posh. You might think it's an Islamic tradition, but it's entirely cultural and practiced by Catholic and Orthodox Albanians too, infact such strict patriachal law was composed by an Albanian prince, during the time they were at a fierce opposition with the Ottomans.

The albanian socialist government did give women rights, but after it fell apart, the rural parts of Albania started to follow cultural values again. Blood Feuds are common in Rural regions because they think government law is corrupt.

It's a deep constrast with Bosnian Muslim women who are considered the free-est women in the muslim world. But it was once said, such a strict custom used to be among everyone in the Balkans, including south slavs, but now it's cornered in Northern Albania

[یاسمینه]

Something about Albanian sworn virgins: http://www.pashtunforums.com/other-b...htm#post707640

[DaZahroJaam.]

^ that is insulting to the women of that country and everywhere else. you can't be respected as a woman so you pretend to be a man. good for you but does that change anything for the rest of the women in that society?? it just enforces the importance of being a man.
a woman should not have to give up her right to a marriage, having kids and living as a woman in order to be treated equally or decently in a society.

[Badlun]

Women are only for houses in Sharia

Q: Maulana Saib, if you were a disbeliever in female education, how a female would become a teacher, nurse or a doctor so needed by the society?
A: Shariah does not allow male and female working together. Women are meant to fulfil their responsibilities inside their houses. Only in case of dire need they can come out in a veil. It is obligatory for male to meet their needs. If he fails, he should set her free.
Exclusive: An interview with Maulana Fazalullah, VALLEY SWAT

[Mellish]

As a Westerner, I can't comment on Purdah. Though I can tell you about what it's been like as a Westerner over a period of intense change regarding women's rights in Western society.

Many women over the centuries have taken a man's name - writers such as 'George Sand' for example - so that they could publish or reach an audience more easily. The effect was that the generations after realised that, when it comes to intellectual pursuits, women can do the job.

In my life time, I've seen changes such as equal pay rights introduced, non-discrimination and changes in property law. I grew up with a mother who read 'The Female Eunuch' - a feminist text. And the stress on marriages was intense during those times of women's protests that occurred alongside protests against Vietnam and the like. Many marriages failed - and still do. Forty years ago, the men were still in the old world, and the women had a new faith.

Even earlier in the 20th Century, some key feminists who are now hailed as heroines of the movement, and even have statues and plaques in their names, were terrorists - and were responsible for blowing up shops etc. There's a long history of different groups blowing up things in the West: anarchists in the 19C, then the feminists, then the Germans... communists, IRA and so forth. The feminists seem to be the only ones that prevailed.

The most fundamental change I have seen is the enforcement of protection of women. Women still complain that rape is not prosecuted strictly enough etc, but when I was young, sexual assault and rape happened a lot. Now, it is a very serious thing. I'm sure someone who is new to the West may walk down a street in summer and see girls showing themselves off and be amazed. In the West, once even the police would have harassed them, let alone all the blokes - but now it is very different and women have far more legal protection. Criminal convictions are much easier and people with such convictions could possibly never get decent work again, because most large companies do criminal checks. Mention anything sexual to a women at work and, depending on the seriousness of it, you could be fired on the spot.

So this protection, as well as changes in the law, has let women become 'themselves', at least as it has evolved in Western culture, and it is interesting to watch as a social phenomenon. While there was a phase when feminists would say men and women are the same, it's just culture and education that makes us different, now the psychologists and geneticists have proved we are quite different in many respects, and that difference has shown when they are given freedom. The most obvious is the urge to beauty, which everyone knew about anyway. And I don't think it is to 'catch men' really - it just makes them feel 'good', it seems. Far more so than men I would suggest, who like doing different things altogether - sport, hunting, games - to feel good.

I've worked fairly high up in a number of organisations and I can tell you, the Western experiment has proven that women can do the job. Except in the physical strength area, woman are pretty much as good as men at anything, and in some areas are far better - HR for example. Amongst men, you get more geniuses and people better at maths and science etc, but also a lot of blokes who seem only suitable for fighting or hard physical labour! So, in a school, girls on average will be smarter than boys.

Is it a shock to have all these women rising in the ranks and doing great things? Probably in the beginning, but like anything, you adjust and there are a lot of benefits to having women as equals. The release of new talent into every area of society has also made a huge difference - we now have twice as many 'brains' on the job, if you like. The emphasis in relationships, too, has changed, and is now on comradeship rather than having an inferior servant, if I can exaggerate a little - and having more 'friends' is apparently good for you. And it does feel better. Would you rather have another good friend or a loyal dog instead? Loyal dogs are great, but good friends are gold-dust. Has society over the past 50 years become more civilised, more caring, more fair, more decent, as a result? I would say yes.

In summary, the experiment in the West - which the churches have always resisted as much as they can - has shown that 1) women are different and have different strengths, but in balance are as equally competent and as intelligent as men; 2) society has become more 'civilised' as a result and seen the release of far more talent into its culture, and; 3) most importantly, you cannot have equality without physical security - to protect them from the blokes who can't resist the brutal approach.

In FATA one survey suggested that there is a call for more purdah, but on the other hand, said it may be linked to greater insecurity, and I think this explains a lot, and probably is where the first challenge lies.

[Badlun]

[MENTION=17462]Mellish[/MENTION]
Thanks a lot for your balanced approach and realistic analysis of the state of affairs regarding women in the West and in Pashtun society.

No doubt women are different. They are not men. Women have different biology, psychology and even spirituality but they are not inferior to men in any way.

What matters is person not gender. Differences are person to person not gender to gender. A woman can be more intelligent than a man and vice versa. I am more for nurture than the nature.

For me woman is the ideal human being because of her aesthetics and spiritual personality features. She is a goddess while man is god and you can differentiate the nuance of difference in a god and goddess.

Security is the most important issue but the solution is not to seclude women but to take measures for their protection. This was my argument with the security people when I was visiting Caracas.

I passed 3 days there but could not touch the land of Caracas , always in the car because of insecurity. On last day I put on very casual clothes and walked for hours in the city center and nothing happened to me. I told them to beef up their security measures not imprisoning me in the vehicle.

So that every body can move around easily and freely. The solution is not purdah but legal measures as West is doing.