Acts of Courage Empower Women

by SSG Lyndsey Prax

This past year in Afghanistan has definitely changed my outlook on how I view women’s rights and has not only made me proud to be a woman, but so grateful for the sacrifices made to provide women  even the most basic human rights.

Since I arrived here in May, I’ve personally met Afghan women police officers, women Soldiers and women working in leadership positions. On every occasion these women have told me how brave I am as a female American Soldier and how much they look up to me.

Of course I accept their compliment and return a compliment of my own, but I can only hope they  truly understand how much admiration I have for them.

The people of Afghanistan have been subjected to violence, war and conflict for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the rule of the Taliban that Afghanistan became one of the most challenging places in the world to be a woman.

Immediately after coming into power in 1996, the Taliban declared that “the face of a woman is a source of corruption" for men not related to them.  Women were forbidden to work and were not to leave their homes unless accompanied by a male blood relative.  When they did go out they were required to wear a burqa at all time, covering their hair, faces and bodies. They were denied education, were banned from radio, television and public gatherings, and if they chose to speak they could only do so in a small voice to prevent any stranger from hearing. They were often forced to stay at home and paint their windows so that no one could see in or out.

Any woman who attempted to challenge what the Taliban considered acceptable were often intimidated, beaten or killed.

These rules not only defied the rights of women, they also had a severe effect on the Afghan economy. Households that functioned on two incomes were now forced to survive on only one. Widows were no longer allowed to provide for their families, leading to increased famine.  Education amongst both boys and girls plummeted due to the lack of teachers. Women were not allowed to be seen by male physicians and since there were no longer female doctors, seeking medical attention for serious health concerns became almost impossible.

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, things have somewhat improved for the women of Afghanistan; however, they still face challenges and fears caused by ingrained gender stereotypes daily.

I have personally encountered scenarios where men refuse to look me in the eye or shake my hand upon our meeting. I have been asked to cover my hair to prevent the possibility of insulting someone or making them uncomfortable.

On June 14, 2014, Afghanistan held a run-off election to determine their new president. Taliban leaders threatened to disrupt the vote by attacking polling sites and said they would cut off any blue fingers they found amongst women. More than seven million people came out to vote and 38% of them were women, some of whom later lost their fingers. But they showed courage and resolve and were essential to the country's economic and political process.

Today women in Afghanistan are business owners and entrepreneurs, journalists, artists, politicians, police chiefs, pilots and Soldiers. They excel in sports such as football, cricket, biking and skiing and they empower their children through education.

I am part of an organization that is prominently made up of males. Within my organization and elsewhere there will always be those who want to argue whether or not women work as hard as men, if we possess the same intelligence, the same physical capabilities or the same emotional control we need to hold leadership positions. By all means, argue all day if you’d like, but please do so elsewhere. This blog post is not intended to agree with or challenge any of those suggestions, but to honor and promote recognition for the brave women of Afghanistan and the challenges they face daily. Their acts of courage have paved a way for women everywhere. 

These women inspire me to be a better person, a better woman and a better Soldier. They are living proof that courage and tenacity can change the world. 

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”                        

                                                                                                                                    ~C.S. Lewis

Shamsia Hassani, an Afghan graffiti artist, poses next to a newly-completed image about Afghan women. Hassani spray painted the art during the launch of USAID’s new and largest gender program “Promote”. The United States on Saturday November 8, 2014 pledged $216 million to jump start female empowerment in Afghanistan. Promote program’s main goal is to strengthen Afghanistan’s development by boosting female participation in the economy, helping women gain business and management skills, supporting women’s rights groups and increasing the number of women in decision making positions within the Afghan government. 

Photo Credit: Joan Lewa, USAID/Afghanistan