Question

What have you learned about the oppression that women are forced to endure in Afghanistan?

Answer 1

Lack of Job Opportunities
Up from 31 percent in 2008 to 35 percent in 2009, unemployment is cited as the second biggest problem Afghan women face. A separate study indicated that only a quarter of government positions are occupied by women.
Although Article 48 of the constitution stipulates that every Afghan has the right to work, the government does not pave the way for women to gain positions in government. Other factors also contribute to unemployment, such as low literacy rates and professional skills among women; disagreement over a woman’s right to work outside of the house (in this survey, only 67 percent of respondents agree with a woman’s right to work outside of the house, while 23 percent do not agree); issues over women working in an office or environment with men; poor security; and women’s historical economic dependence on men. Parents often hold a double standard regarding children’s education, with more attention given to the education of boys than to that of girls.