The Uncertain Future Of Women's Voting Rights In Afghanistan

Women in Afghanistan have not always had the right to vote. In fact, their voting rights have fluctuated over the years, often as a result of changes in the country's leadership.

Afghan women earned the right to vote in 1919 after the country gained independence from Britain. Under the reign of King Amanullah Khan, Afghan women received equal rights, including the right to vote, and the freedom to choose their husbands. However, these rights were short-lived. In 1929, tribal leaders forced Khan to flee the country, and Afghanistan returned to Sharia law with a monarchy and no voting rights for anyone for nearly 40 years.

In 1964, women were once again granted voting rights after a new constitution marked the next era of modern democracy. This constitution also allowed women to run for office. Despite government changes, freedoms for Afghan citizens, including women, continued to increase over the next decade.

However, in 1979, the Soviet Union toppled the government and began an occupation that lasted a decade. After the Soviet government pulled out of Afghanistan in 1988, the region dissolved into fighting between different factions, none of which were keen to give women voting rights.

In 1996, the Taliban seized power and enforced strict religious law, requiring women to be fully veiled and barred from working or leaving the house without a male chaperone. It wasn't until 2001, when the Taliban officially relinquished power after airstrikes from the US and Britain, that women's rights began to improve again.

The most recent constitution of Afghanistan, created in 2004, once again gave women the right to vote. Despite this, many women were still blocked from voting by their families and communities. Under the leadership of Hamid Karzai, women's rights slowly eroded once more. In 2009, the government enacted the Shi'a Family Law, which required women to ask permission to leave the home.

In more recent years, women's rights to vote and participate in politics continue to be threatened by the Taliban and conservative community members. In 2014, a record number of women turned out to vote and run for office, despite facing danger and threats. While some groups welcomed and protected women at the polls, others protested their participation.

Today, women in Afghanistan continue to fight for their right to vote and participate in politics, despite cultural and tribal norms that work against them.

Women gained the right to vote in Afghanistan in 1919

Women in Afghanistan gained the right to vote in 1919, one year before women in the US. This was after the country won independence from Britain, under the reign of King Amanullah Khan.

During his time in power, King Amanullah Khan created Afghanistan's first constitution, which abolished slavery, created a legislature, guaranteed secular education, and instituted equal rights for men and women. He also created other reforms for women, including the Family Code Law, which banned child marriage, and granted women the right to choose their husbands.

However, in 1929, tribal leaders forced him to flee the country and claimed the throne for themselves. Many of Khan's reforms were quickly overturned, and Afghanistan returned to Sharia law with a monarchy and no voting rights for anyone for nearly 40 years.

Women were once again granted voting rights in 1964, after a new constitution marked the next era of modern democracy. Along with voting rights, women were allowed to run for office. Despite several government coups and changes in power, over the next decade, freedoms for all Afghan citizens were increased. Women were encouraged to get an education and vote, at least in the cities.

Women have faced intimidation, violence, and death threats for attempting to exercise their right to vote

Women in Afghanistan have the right to vote, but they have faced intimidation, violence, and death threats for attempting to exercise this right.

In 2004, widespread intimidation of women and general insecurity threatened women's right to vote freely in the presidential elections. Female journalists, activists, and government officials reported death threats, harassment, and attacks for speaking out about women's rights issues. In one of the most deadly examples, a bomb targeting a bus full of female election workers near Jalalabad killed three and injured twelve. Women who spearheaded voter registration drives also confronted resistance and threats from local factions and the Taliban. In some areas, fear of attacks prevented mobile registration teams from going door-to-door, which is a critical method for reaching out to women in rural or conservative areas.

In 2018, Afghanistan held its long-delayed national parliamentary elections. The election demonstrated how insecurity, political instability, impunity for violence against women, and negative perceptions about women's rights have gender-specific effects on Afghan women's full and equal electoral participation. Social media was effectively used to amplify and disseminate attacks against women and their families to national audiences. Harassment of women candidates contributed to families' reticence to support female candidates.

In 2021, the Taliban returned to power and imposed severe restrictions on women. Despite repeated assurances that women's rights would be respected, the Taliban's actions have included placing severe restrictions on women's access to education and work. The Taliban's policy on women's right to work is unclear, and education for girls and women has been suspended in higher grades. The new Taliban interim cabinet does not include any women as ministers or deputy ministers, and the Ministry of Women's Affairs has been abolished. The protests by women that followed these announcements, especially in Kabul, have been met with violence by Taliban security forces.

In March 2024, the Taliban's supreme leader announced the reinstatement of flogging and death by stoning for women, signalling a further erosion of women's rights in Afghanistan.

Women's rights activists have been threatened, arrested, and tortured for protesting against the Taliban's restrictions on women's rights

Women's rights activists in Afghanistan have been threatened, arrested, and tortured for protesting against the Taliban's restrictions on women's rights. The Taliban have responded brutally to women-led protests, beating protesters, disrupting demonstrations, and detaining and torturing journalists covering the events.

The Taliban have also conducted raids to arbitrarily detain women who have participated in protests. In February 2022, the Taliban arbitrarily arrested three women's rights activists—Tamana Paryani, Khorshid, and Hypatia—during a raid on a safe house in Kabul. The women were detained with their families, including small children, and experienced threats, beatings, dangerous conditions, denial of due process, and other abuses. Paryani, one of the first protesters to be arbitrarily detained under Taliban rule, filmed her arrest and posted the video on social media, sending waves of fear through other protesters.

Women's rights activists have faced intimidation, harassment, and attacks for speaking out about women's rights issues. They have been threatened, beaten, and assaulted by Taliban members, and in some cases, subjected to torture and ill-treatment. The Taliban have also forced the closure of women's development projects that provide education, health, rights awareness, and job training to women and girls.

The Taliban's crackdown on women's rights has resulted in the arbitrary detention, torture, and disappearance of women protesters. Women have been arrested with their families, held in abusive conditions, and sometimes tortured. If released, the Taliban often demand deeds to their family's property, threatening to confiscate it if the woman continues her activism.

The Taliban's restrictive policies and practices have severely impacted the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan, depriving them of their fundamental rights and freedoms. The international community has been urged to take action and hold the Taliban accountable for their human rights abuses and violations.

Women have been blocked from voting by their families and communities

Women in Afghanistan have been fighting for their right to vote for decades. While they earned the right to vote in 1919, it has been a constant battle to exercise this right, with women facing barriers to voting in every election.

In 2004, women in Afghanistan were once again given the right to vote with the creation of a new constitution. However, despite the new law, many women were blocked from voting in the first election by their families and communities. This is a common issue in Afghanistan, with women often denied their voting rights by their communities rather than by the constitution. In fact, in the 2012 elections, women only represented 43% of the 86 million registered voters.

There are several reasons why women in Afghanistan are blocked from voting by their families and communities. One reason is that women in Afghanistan are often expected to obey their husbands and seek their permission for various activities, including voting. A survey by the Asia Foundation found that 87% of Afghans said that women would need to get permission from their husband or the head of the family to vote. Additionally, 18% of men surveyed said they would not let their wives vote at all, and this number rose to almost 25% in the south of the country. This shows that there is a strong cultural expectation for women to seek permission from male family members before participating in the political process.

Another reason why women may be blocked from voting is due to security concerns. Widespread intimidation of women and general insecurity have threatened women's right to vote freely in Afghanistan. Regional warlords, the Taliban, and other insurgent forces have created an atmosphere of fear and have targeted women who challenge traditional gender roles. Female journalists, activists, and government officials have reported death threats, harassment, and attacks for speaking out about women's rights issues. There have even been deadly attacks on female election workers, such as the bombing of a bus carrying female election workers in 2004, which killed three women and injured twelve others.

In addition to security concerns, logistical issues and a lack of gender-segregated polling places can also prevent women from voting. In some areas, mobile registration teams were unable to go door-to-door to register women in rural or conservative areas due to fear of attacks. This contributed to extremely low female registration rates in certain provinces. Furthermore, a shortage of female poll workers can also deter women from casting their votes, as they may be uncomfortable interacting with male poll workers.

Despite these challenges, Afghan women have continued to fight for their right to vote and have made significant progress over the years. In 2014, women turned out in record numbers to vote and run for office, with 308 women running for provincial council seats and 97 winning. This demonstrates the resilience and determination of Afghan women to participate in the political process, despite the obstacles they face.

Women's rights in Afghanistan have fluctuated depending on the regime in power

Women's rights in Afghanistan have fluctuated over the decades, depending on the regime in power.

Afghan women gained the right to vote in 1919, after the country won independence from Britain. Under the reign of King Amanullah Khan, Afghan women received equal rights, including the right to vote. However, these rights were short-lived. In 1929, tribal leaders forced Khan to flee the country, and Afghanistan returned to Sharia law with a monarchy and no voting rights for anyone for nearly 40 years.

In 1964, women were once again granted voting rights after a new constitution marked the next era of modern democracy. This constitution also allowed women to run for office. Despite several government coups and changes in power, freedoms for all Afghan citizens were increased over the next decade. Women were encouraged to get an education and vote, at least in the cities.

In 1979, the Soviet Union toppled the Afghan government and began an occupation that lasted a decade. The Soviet occupation was not welcomed or accepted by most Afghans, especially in the more rural and mountainous regions. The United States took advantage of the opportunity to weaken their Cold War adversary by flooding the region with money and arms to support the guerilla fighters, or mujahedeen, who continued fighting the Soviets.

On May 15, 1988, the Soviet government imploded and pulled out of Afghanistan, creating a massive power vacuum. The region dissolved into fighting between the mujahedeen and tribal powers, neither faction keen to give women voting rights.

In 1996, the Taliban seized power and enforced an incredibly strict form of Sharia law, which required women to be fully veiled. After airstrikes from the U.S. and Britain toppled Kandahar in response to the 9/11 terror attacks, the Taliban officially relinquished power in 2001.

In 2004, the most recent constitution was created, and women were once again given the right to vote. Despite the new law, many women were still blocked from voting in the first election by their families and communities. Under Karzai, women's rights were slowly eroded once again. In 2009, the government enacted the Shi'a Family Law, which required women to ask permission to leave the home unless it was urgent.

In 2014, women turned out in record numbers to vote and run for office, despite the danger and threats from the Taliban and conservative community members who wished to keep them at home. A record 308 women ran for provincial council seats, and 97 won in this latest election. While there were many who protested women at the polls, other groups welcomed, protected, and encouraged them.

In 2021, the Taliban returned to power and imposed severe restrictions on women. Women are barred from travelling more than 70 kilometres without a close male relative and are mandated to wear face coverings in public, revealing only their eyes. They are not allowed to work in most sectors outside of health and education and are banned from studying in secondary schools and universities.

Afghan women's rights have fluctuated depending on the regime in power. While they have made gains over the decades, these have often been followed by rollbacks. The current Taliban regime has imposed some of the most severe restrictions on women's rights in the country's history.

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