Information Of Interest International "Tomorrow's Children" - Partnership School And Education

WIN News, Spring, 2000

GENDER APARTHEID CODIFIED UNDER TALIBAN LAW

When they took control in 1996, the Taliban imposed strict edicts that:

- Expelled girls from schools and fired women from their jobs

- Forced women to wear the burqa, completely shrouding the body, leaving only a small mesh-covered opening through which to see

- Prohibited women from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a close male relative-

- Denied women and girls admittance to most hospitals and treatment by male physicians while at the same time, prohibited most female doctors and nurses from working

Women have been brutally beaten, publicly flogged and killed for violating Taliban decrees. Even after international condemnation, the Taliban made only slight changes. Despite these changes, the overall reality of the tragic plight of Afghan women and girls has remained virtually unchanged.

WHO SUPPORTS THE TALIBAN

Pakistan is the primary source of support to the Taliban, supplying military aid and personnel; Saudi Arabia provides the Taliban with financial support. Afghanistan is one of the world's largest producers of opium and a major drug-processing center. The biggest potential for financial support is the petroleum industry. International oil interests compete to build pipelines through Afghanistan[ldots]

THE CAMPAIGN TO STOP GENDER APARTHEID

Led by the Feminist Majority Foundation, the Campaign to Stop Gender Apartheid has brought together more than 180 leading human rights and women's organizations in the U.S. and around the world to condemn the Taliban's human rights abuses against women and girls and to put pressure on the U.S. and U.N. to do everything in their power to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan."

CONFERENCE: WOMEN ON THE ROAD FOR AFGHANISTAN

STOP TALIBANIZATION. BE PART OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL POLITICAL ACTION.

NEGAR- DEFENSE OF AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS, B.P. 10; 25770, Franois, FRANCE.

FROM SHOUKRIA HAIDAR, PRESIDENT OF NEGAR:

CONFERENCE OPTIONS: "June 24-July 27: DUSHANBE (does not include Afghanistan)

June 24-July 2: DUSHANBE (2 days) AFGHANISTAN (3 days)

Registration forms, more information, a schedule of meetings and activities are available.

From June 24 to July 2, a movement of women from the five continents, activists and personalities in their own countries, are going to Tajikistan - to Dushanbe - and then, for those who so choose, moving on to Afghanistan, to the non-Taliban controlled region. We will meet women from the region in a general assembly organized in Tajikistan.

In solidarity with Afghan women and against cruel and discriminatory treatment, an assembly will take place in Tajikistan on June 26-27: a charter will be drafted by Afghan women's associations. We - Women On The Road for Afghanistan - will be present to lend our total support to this action.

This charter will be a basic declaration of rights of Afghan women for all governments in power.

You can support us: by helping us to publicize this initiative // by joining us for this meeting //

by a contribution, large or small."

email contacts: ellies@club-internet.fr // brice.lalonde@wanadoo.fr