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