blog 9 "why US can't deliver women's rights to Afghanistan"

Why U.S. can’t deliver women’s rights to Afghanistan

This article focuses on the problems behind U.S. policy that attempts to solidify women's rights in Afghanistan. While U.S. support is a considerable tool in furthering the rights of women in the middle east, our government is continually making promises that it cannot keep. Change must come from within Afghanistan, by their people, if it is expected to be a lasting. Furthermore, while progress has been made, thousands of women are still subject to marital abuse, sexual assault and are the victims of honor killings if they choose to run away from their abusers. 

I chose this article primarily because I thought it would have offered more than the western world imposing their ideas of women's rights on a different culture, however I'm afraid that is exactly what it did. For one, it is improper for a american male to write an article for an established news site about Afghani rights without actually talking to a woman from Afghanistan. Two, US occupation has hurt women's rights in the middle east, as historically women always get the short end of the stick when war is being ravaged. It is not so much a matter of "not making promises we can't keep" but understanding how woman's experiences differ depending on social/cultural norms, and we, as Americans, must listen and help to provide with the help THEY want. Otherwise, its just like the burkha ban in France all over again, which really pissed off Muslim feminist. Like, really CNN, you gonna say this? "But emphasizing local drivers of social change can be a more effective way to export Western liberal values to Afghanistan’s illiberal society" Because that is really geo-centric. They don't need "western liberal values" they need "Afghani values" that protect women. 

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/02/why-u-s-cant-deliver-womens-rights-to-afghanistan/

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