GENDER APARTHEID

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2023/03/11/gender-apartheid-against-women-and-girls-in-afghanistan/

Context:

The Taliban Government in Afghanistan enacted a new 'morality law' to enforce strict gender segregation and codify extreme restrictions.

Afghanistan Afghanistan is a landlocked country bordered by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, Tajikistan to the northeast, and China to the northeast and east.  Kabul is the capital and largest city.  Afghanistan is rich in natural resources, including lithium, iron, zinc, and copper.

Details

The “morality law” formalises strict regulations on women and other groups, consolidating restrictions that were previously enforced in a less formal manner. 

Key Highlights of the Morality Law 

• It is mandatory for women to cover their entire bodies in public.
• It prohibited women from singing or reading aloud in public.
• It restricted the freedom of speech of women in public.
• Public interactions between unrelated men and women are forbidden. 
• It also enforced restrictions on men’s dress, requiring them to avoid wearing shorts above the knee and closely trimmed beards. 

United Nations experts defined the law as a form of “gender apartheid,” reflecting a serious and systematic exclusion of women from public life.

Gender Apartheid

It is a term used to describe extreme and systematic discrimination based on gender, where one gender faces increasing limitations on their rights and freedoms. 

Key Characteristics of Gender Apartheid

• It is enforced through designing laws and institutional practices that discriminate against one gender. 
• • • Laws that restrict women’s freedom of movement, education, employment, and participation in public life.

• It involves strict social norms that segregate men and women in daily life. 

• • • This can include restrictions on interactions between genders, enforced dress codes, and prohibiting women from participating in certain activities.
• It extends to politics and economics, where women are denied opportunities for political participation and economic advancement. 
  • • This can result in limited job opportunities, unequal pay, and a lack of representation in government.

Concerns Related to Gender Apartheid

• It leads to human rights violations. 

• Women and girls face systematic oppression, including limited access to education, healthcare, and personal freedom. 

• It denies the right to work or participate fully in the economy. 

• • • It is a huge loss of potential talent and innovation that will result in long-term negative effects on economic development.
• It can lead to psychological trauma, social instability

Way Forward

• Global organisations and human rights organisations can play an important role in putting pressure on governments to modify discriminatory legislation and practices.
• Mass protests at the local and national levels serve as an essential tool for questioning and changing discriminatory gender norms.
• Raising awareness and educating people about gender equality and human rights can help to shift social attitudes and prevent discrimination.

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Source: 

INDIAN EXPRESS

WIKIPEDIA

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following countries: 1. Tajikistan 2. Turkmenistan 3. China 4. Uzbekistan 5. Kyrgyzstan Which of the above countries share a border with Afghanistan? A) 1, 2, and 3 only B) 1, 2, 3, and 4 only C) 1, 2, 3, and 5 only D) 1, 3, and 4 only Answer: B Explanation: Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China.