Journal of International Relations & Foreign Policy

The History of Afghanistan and Its Impact on Women’s Rights
Rebekah Hope Augustine

Abstract
Afghanistan as a nation has undergone significant political instability, especially in the last two decades. The impact of political instability on women‘s rights is the focus of this thesis. Women in Afghanistan were given the ability to vote in 1919, walked around with their heads and faces uncovered in the 1960s-80s, and had a higher level of attendance at universities than men. Today, Afghan women cannot vote, are forced to wear burkas, and are banned from attending school. This reversal of status is a result of political instability due to the invasion of the Soviet Union, several civil wars, a twenty-year conflict with the United States, and the return of the Taliban. Although Afghan women continue to fight for their rights, relentless political instability has prevented a return to the equality they enjoyed in the 1970s. This thesis examines Afghanistan from its early history through the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, the changes women have experienced across time, and how the world should address the nation moving forward.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jirfp.v12a2