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Weekly Online LessonOnline Lesson ArchiveGrade Level: 8-12
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Women in Afghanistan
On
Saturday November 17, 2001, First Lady Laura Bush delivered the weekly
presidential radio address in its entirety. In her address, Mrs. Bush
spoke out against the Taliban, condemning the “brutal degradation” of
women and children in Afghanistan.
The address, recorded at the Bush's ranch in Texas, marked the first time a first lady had ever delivered the weekly radio address solo.
The White House said the first lady’s address was part of a campaign to highlight the plight of Afghan women under Taliban rule. The campaign also included the release of a report by the State Department called “The Taliban’s War Against Women.” The report quotes members of the collapsing hard-line Islamic movement and reveals the horrors Afghan women have endured since 1996.
In this week's lesson you will read Mrs. Bush's address, study the State Department report, and consider the role of women in Afghanistan's future.
Radio Address
If
you haven't yet heard Laura Bush's address, visit the official White
House site and go to the Radio
Address by Laura Bush to the Nation. Read her brief but pointed
remarks, or click Listen
to the Remarks and listen on RealAudio as you read along.
In what ways did the Taliban make life miserable for many women and children of Afghanistan? Is the cruel treatment of women in any way supported by the teachings of Islam? How has recent American military action in Afghanistan affected the lives of many women in that country? At the end of her address, what does Mrs. Bush ask all Americans to do?
U.S. State Department Reports
On
the day Laura Bush delivered her radio address to the nation, the U.S.
State Department released its report on Women and the Taliban. To find
this report go to the U.S. Department of State International
Women's Issues page. Next, click Report
on the Taliban's War Against Women in the Highlights bar
on the right. Scroll down below the image, and then start by reading the
Executive Summary.
In 1977, what percentage of Afghanistan's women were schoolteachers? government workers? doctors? Did any women serve as legislators? In 1996 when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, what changes were enforced? What kind of a post-Taliban government does the U.S. support?
Go back to the main page. Click and read The Taliban's War Against Women followed by Quotes By and About Women in Afghanistan. What is a burqa? What would happen to a woman who did not wear one? What Taliban rules made health care for women inadequate? In what ways were women's basic human rights violated?
The Plight of the Afghan Woman
For
a final look at conditions for women in Afghanistan — conditions that
now appear to be changing — visit Afghanistan Online and go to The
Plight of the Afghan Woman. Read the introduction, and
then explore the five topics under the Resources heading. In particular,
focus on the article, "Women's
Position, Role, And Rights In Islam." Here the author, Dr.
Zieba Shorish-Shamley, argues that the oppression of women in Islamic
countries cannot be justified on the basis of religion.
Which quotes from the Qur'an seem to be most at odds with the Taliban's rules regarding women?
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Learners Online, Inc.