AFGHANISTAN – FAMILY PLANNING LAW

Back in march, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan signed and passed the Shia Family Planning Law. (Under the Afghan constitution, Shias can have family law separate from the Sunni majority). The Shia Family Planning law follows traditional Shia jurisprudence which sanctions marital rape and places Taliban-era restrictions on the women. Following international outrage, the law was amended and in July resigned, although it has not yet been ratified by parliament. The impact of this law if passed as well as other issues facing Afghan women today, is discussed by Janine di Giovanni in an article of July 24th in the Guardian. 

Women in Afghanistan

Look out for ABC’s “Four Corners” program about the situation of women in Afghanistan on 24-09-07 at 8.30pm.

-Jo 

RAWA – The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan

RAWA – The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan
“The oldest anti-fundamentalist feminist organisation of oppressed Afghan women”

RAWA is the oldest political/social organization of Afghan women and has campaigned for peace, freedom, democracy and women’s rights in Afghanistan since 1977. RAWA believes that education is crucial in creating empowerment for women and they offer a secular curriculum at their schools teaching humanitarian principles and equality.

They are supported by SAWA-Australia, the Support Association for the Women of Afghanistan a group based in Adelaide, and WILFP, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Sohaila, a member of RAWA will be speaking at the Australian Education Union Hall, 163 Greenhill Road at 6:30 tonight the 8th August, for enquiries phone: 8333 3279.