Discussion Topic #6

Upon reading the book and from prior knowledge and research, I personally believe the primary reason women were not frequently mentioned was due to the religion within the communities that Rory Stewart encountered. The Taliban treatment of women is very notorious, and upon recognition of this, the Femininst Majority Foundation outlays a special page which sites facts regarding the Taliban and Afghan women. The foundation was created in focus of women’s rights and humanitarian crisis and outlays the violation of rights of the Afghan women, including banishment from the work force, being expelled from universities and issuing orders for women to cover their faces by wearing a burqa. The Taliban also forbid women the right to be examined by any male physician, yet they could not be examined by women either, because they were banned from the work force. Upon violation of these laws, women faced execution. From an American perspective, these laws seem very absurd and cruel, yet the women of the country do not know any better. The people within communities are very religious, and the laws imposed are extreme, yet they were maintained in order to maintain a dignity that is sacred. The rules are based upon respect, and it is often very hard to distinguish what should be considered morally “wrong,” because these rules are indeed based off religious ideals. Though many women are stripped of these rights, it is part of their religious tradition; the primary concern should be in the penalties women face for religious violations.