Women of Afghanistan in the Post-Taliban Era : How Lives Have Changed and Where They Stand Today

For the women of Afghanistan, some very remarkable milestones have been achieved since the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban rule in 2001. The gender order has gone through several dramatic changes in just a few short years, and those changes have brought a wealth of new opportunities and roles for women living and working in Afghanistan. Whereas Afghan women had been largely confined to their homes and condemned from actively participating in society under the Taliban, these women are now re-entering the workforce, newly employed in education, government, private businesses, or even working their own farm land alongside their husbands.This book examines the roles of women in Afghanistan as they live within a greater context of change and tradition. It describes and analyzes the success of women in these new occupational and educational opportunities, evaluating how such success has come about in a nation that still struggles to overcome years of poverty, corruption, regional power struggles, and the overwhelming destruction of war.The book also focuses on the unique health challenges faced by women and families living in Afghanistan, focusing on recent developments in maternal and reproductive health care, the lingering problems associated with chronic or transient food shortages, and the improved availability of local emergency services and basic health care. One chapter addresses gender-focused international aid in Afghanistan through individual profiles of several Afghan women, couples, and families. This chapter also provides profiles of several female Afghan leaders, including Bamiyan governor Habiba Sarabi, the Ministry of Women's Affairs' Hussn Banu Ghazanfar, and Ambassadors Zahida Ansary and Maliha Zulfacar. Finally, the work evaluates the impact that the 2005 resurgence of the Taliban has had on women and girls in several parts of Afghanistan.