Global Discrimination of Women
Brianna Moyer
Public Harassment in Afghanistan
Due to the extreme amount of discrimination of women in the workplace in Afghanistan, women are expected to stay at home and care for children and men. Most women who do participate in other jobs, however, are usually harassed and abused. On their way to work, most Afghan women have “experienced physical harassment, including groping, pinching and slapping” (Akbar 1). Men often harass these women is hopes that they will be too scared to leave the house again. Akbar, a women’s rights activist, writes that “The frequent harassment of women in public spaces in the cities of Afghanistan is a mirror of how the society views women and what it considers to be a woman's job or place” (Akbar 1). In places such as Kabul, Herat, Juzjan and Qunduz, men sometimes throw acid on women’s faces in order to discourage them from working or educating themselves. In addition, some Afghan National police participate in the public harassment of women. Unfortunately, many Afghan women feel the only way they may fight back to these men is by simply ignoring them which rarely ends the crime.
Equal Rights Advocates
The ERA, or Equal Rights Advocates, “has been part of many important cases that have changed the working conditions, opportunities, and treatment of women” (ACB CLIO 1). Beginning in 1974, the group has tried “eliminating discriminatory practices that deny women advancement opportunities, equal compensation, and access to certain occupations” (ABC CLIO 1). In addition, the ERA has helped increase the number of women who participate in jobs typically for men (firefighters, police officers, etc). The ERA has also created protests in which attempted to elinate physical and verbal harassment in the workplace. Finally, the ERA has campaigned for the rights of pregnant women in the workforce. The ERA is one of many world wide organizations which are vital to eliminating the discrimination of women.
Works Cited
DVIDSHUB. PRT, ADT Women Help Celebrate Women's Day in Kunar. 2011. Photograph. Flickr Blue Mountain, Kunar. 2011. Web.
Ratcliff, Trey. Young Girl Returning Home in Tokyo. N.d. Photograph. Tokyo. Flickr Blue Mountain. 13 Apr. 2010. Web.
Aljazeera English. Protests in Bahrin. N.d. Photograph. Flickr Blue Mountain, Bahrin. 13 Feb. 2011. Web.
Non-Western Source:
Kabar, Noorjahan. "Afghan Women Fight Back against Harassment - Opinion - Al Jazeera English." Al Jazeera. N.p., 13 June 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.
Scholarly Source:
Pinto, Katy M. "Equal Rights Advocates." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.
Map/Charts:
"Statistics on Discrimination Of Women." PapBlog Human Rights Etc. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.
Video:
"Ethiopian Women Abused in Middle East." YouTube. N.p., 21 Nov. 2009. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.