Women’s rights in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanist

Abstract

The article is devoted to the specific analysis of the changes that have taken place in the perception of the status of women in Afghanistan. The state, also known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is an area where the level of gender inequality and discrimination is one of the highest in the world. The origins of Afghan statehood date back to the eighteenth century. Over the years, the local community has faced numerous armed conflicts, the basis of which can be found both in the interventions of third countries and in internal problems. These include, for example, ethnic conflicts or extreme religious extremism.
The first part of this article contains the analysis of the position of women in the light of Islam and Middle Eastern traditions. The author points to two main determinants that have a real and significant impact on the scope of the rights granted to an individual. She points them out consecutively: religion – as a factor shaping the mentality of each group, as well as the patriarchal model of society, determined by the physical, mental and spiritual spheres of a human being.
In the second part, the author describes the socio-cultural changes that took place in 2021, i.e. after the Taliban took power again. It refers to the laws and regulations that were introduced in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The third part contains references to the assumptions of international law and all other acts that deal with the issue of discrimination against women and other disadvantaged groups under national law. To better explain the issue, a definition of the term “discrimination” is also provided.
In the last part of the paper, the author describes the current position of women in Afghanistan and at the same time, she presents her observations on the rate of change in the mentality of the local community.