The Invisible Women

In Afghanistan it is called a chadri. In other areas it is called a burqa (a/k/a burkha, burka or burqua). Officially, it is "an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of cloaking the entire body."

Originally, the chadri was created by one of Afghanistan's rulers to prevent anyone from seeing his wives' faces (no, the plural is not lost on me but that is another discussion). The chadri became a symbol of an upper class citizen BUT as times changed the Afghanistan government decided they were not in keeping with their modern views and banned them. YAY for modern times.

But the winds of change blew once more and "modern times" gave way to Taliban Times.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban force women to wear chadris / burqas in public because, according to Taliban spokespersons, "the face of a woman is a source of corruption" for men not related to them. In addition to forcing women to wear burqas, the Taliban required all ground and first floor residential windows be painted over or screened to prevent women being visible from the street.

Photographing or filming women was banned as was displaying pictures of females in newspapers, books, shops or even the home. Modification of any place the name of which include the word "woman" or "women" was mandatory - e.g. "Women's Garden" was renamed "Spring Garden". Women were forbidden to appear on the balconies of their apartments or houses. Women were banned from being on radio, television or being present at public gatherings.

After women disappeared from public the Taliban decreed women were not allowed to work. Women were not allowed to be educated after the age of eight and prior to the age of eight they were only permitted to study the Qu'ran. Girls who wanted an education were forced to attend underground schools such as the famous Golden Needle Sewing School (google it - fascinating stuff) where they and their teachers risked execution if caught. Execution.

The only time women are publicly showcased is when they are publicly flogged or publicly executed (usually via public stonings. read prior blog for gory details of breaking teeth, etc.) for violating the Taliban rules.

The only evidence of women in much of Afghanistan is the striking, arresting site of a chadri walking up a mountain road or hangin on the wall to dry. Like magic. They all just disappeared.

Suggested Reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns (the story of a few invisible women in Afghanistan who saw each other)

Website: http://www.rawa.org/ for stories of Afghanistan girls who set themselves on fire in an effort to make somebody witness the frustration and lonliness of being invisible and forgotten by the world.