What Do Afghan Women Want?

The book, “What do Afghan Women Want?” by Noy Thrupkaew opens with the 2001 premiere performance of the Broadway show, “The Vagina Monologues.” Oprah Winfrey is in attendance along with Glenn Close an a-list of other celebrities. As Oprah ends her soliloquy of “Under the Burqa,” she unveils a woman who has ascended the stage covered in a burqa. The woman is Zoya, a young representative of the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA).

One of the points stressed by Noy is the fact that RWA received its most recognition after September 11th. I believe the thesis of this article is that although there exists several organizations that have been created in order to restore the rights of Afghan women and protect their rights, the lives of Afghan women have improved only slightly. Harassment, violence, illiteracy, poverty and extreme repression continue to characterize reality for many afghan women.

From the reading I surmise that RAWA might be one of the oldest women’s political organizations in Afghanistan having been established in 1977 in Kabul. Regrettably it did not receive worldwide recognition until the late 1990s when feminist campaigns hit their stride. Despite its growing popularity as an advocate for Afghan women, the author presents an unbiased view of the organization.

Noy’s argument consists largely of the fact that although rights for women have come a ways since September 11th there’s still a ways to go. Women have slowly begun to gain rights within Afghanistan, but whether or not they will ever been completely free; highly doubtful. It has been hundreds of years of oppression for Afghan women so it will take a lot longer than a few years to really change anything.

For instance, he points out that the former Taliban and Northern Alliances have branded RAWA members as communists, infidels and prostitutes for their work and views. Women working to abolish the fundamentalism in Afghanistan have been beaten, raped and had their families killed in front of them. Despite opposition in their own country, the group has found support in the West and a strong advocate in the voice of Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues). Ms. Ensler also played a vital role in bringing RAWA to the U.S. public’s attention. Some of the sources used by Noy include the RAWA

...