It's Too Late to Turn Back Now

In a globalized world, everything hits too close to home. Nothing feels too far removed or remote. Oceans shrink, lands collide and we find ourselves facing new friends, new challenges and sometimes, terrible enemies.

Perhaps it was this sentiment that led to the extreme sadness and anger I experienced when I received an email from Women for Afghan Women - a non-profit organization dedicated to securing and protecting the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls - informing me that women’s shelters in Afghanistan are under threat of government take-over -- away from the dedicated non-profits that currently run them. Or perhaps it was just that as a woman - one who admires the courage and strength that battered Afghan women find in themselves to flee - I consider any actions against them an outrage.

They have come too far.

And now, there is a crisis brewing – and the effects could be disastrous.

A few reasons that a government take-over could be detrimental to the women who live in Afghanistan:

• The government has not shown itself to have women’s best interests in mind; it believes without evidence that these shelters are breeding grounds for drugs and prostitution; it is this false belief upon which it is acting.


• Women would be most likely be required to undergo “forensic exams,” a euphemism for “virginity tests” to see if the woman was “at fault” before allowing them entrance.


• Women who enter these shelters are often the brave victims of extreme domestic violence at the hands of families, husbands and in-laws who have escaped to safety; the new law could require that women be turned over to these same families if they came to the shelters to receive them.

News of this potential take-over has received widespread coverage and high-level condemnation, from the likes of Gloria Steinem to Hilary Clinton. It is believed that the proposal came to be in the first place as a gesture to conservatives and the Taliban to bring them back to the negotiating table.

Women for Afghan Women is publicizing a petition to President Hamid Karzai opposing this measure.

Let’s sign the petition and keep the pressure going.

For those who have access to a campus or large community of people, I encourage you to spread the word. Host a company event featuring a speaker from a non-profit that supports Afghan women, forward the above petition on to friends, or make a contribution to WAW.

But most of all, keep yourself educated on the issues. Below are a slew of articles put forth as recommended reads by WAW to educate yourself on the shelter crisis:

Afghan Proposal Would Clamp Down on Women’s Shelters

Kabul Seeks Control Of Women's Shelters

Afghan plan poses threat to women's shelters

And if you still need a reason to lend a hand to the cause – this Tuesday, March 8 is International Women’s Day (more to come on that in later entry) – a great time to contribute to the global safety of women.

The above articles may make you upset. They may even make you furious.

For me, that was my first step to action.