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  The plight of women in Afghanistan today

Afghanistan's Kabul University,whiceh used to have 4,000 female students, reopened late month        

without a single female teacher or student.  The United Nations Children's Fund has described the 

exclusion of women and girls from all schools in Afghanistan as an affront to human dignity.

Women in Afghanistan are now not permotted to work , except for a few who are allowed    

employment in designated hospitals.


This latest insult to women follows the introduction of a rule banning the wearing of white socks 

by women because they might be attractive to men.Kite-flying,once a popular pastime in much of

Afghanistan,has also been forbidden because the excitement might disturb men obeying the 

decree of the Taleban,the country's religious leaders,that people are to pray five times a day. The

windows of houses are now painted black under the Taleban's orders to stop women being seen 

from outside. Soccer has been prohibited because it is said "to offend Islam" - possibly because

palyers show their legs, although the reason has not been announced.


All these rules have been invented by the senior religious leaders, virtually all of whom are 

illiterate graduates of Islamic schools where the unique educational practice involves students

learning to recite the Koran,the Islamic holy book, by heart. New rules are broadcast _______

the  Afghan govemment radio station, Radio Shariat. This means that it is essential for people to

listen to the radio to keep up with the flow of orders - something which is not always cut off.

Photography and video players have been made illegal and women are no longer allowed to

use the public baths - the only means of taking a bath for many women because of their cramped

living conditions.


No other I

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