Afghan women complain about lack of progress
Latifa Langar, a professor at the social-sciences
faculty of Kabul University, was quoted by the English-language "Kabul
Weekly" on 26 February as saying "women want the same rights
as men; they don't want to oppose [the men]." Langar said the only
way to achieve this equality is by improving the education level of both
sexes in Afghanistan. Jawayda Ahmadi, a professor at the university's journalism
faculty, was more pessimistic, saying, "Afghan men are still treating
women according to the old Taliban ways," as most women are confined
to their homes. Ahmadi added that some Afghan women have jobs, but still
"face inequalities in treatment and salaries." Zohra Motahar
of the Women's Affairs Ministry complained in the same article that nongovernmental
organizations and other agencies "work in the name of [Afghan] women
but they have done nothing so far." Motahar said most foreign workers
"want to become famous" and those who work "with honesty
and commitment" are often discouraged from taking initiatives. She
also complained about her own ministry, saying that it has done little
to improve the situation of women outside of Kabul, "Kabul Weekly"
reported. AT
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