Thursday, March 03, 2011

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan. May Trigger



This is about alleged rape:
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has demanded the judicial bodies of Afghanistan to investigate the case of a 17-year old girl [Sahifa] who was raped by a local influential. The girl claimed that she was raped by the head of the Provincial Council of Kunar.

...

According to the AIHRC report, Sahifa's family has been pressurized by the head of the provincial council to hide the matter. To resolve the issue and make the family silent, this man wants to give away a girl to Sahifa's family in 'baad' (exchange).
I want to draw your attention to the way in which girls and women are traded to solve what is seen as family disputes. It may be commodification of women (replace the broken one with a whole one). Or it may be a view which gives precedence to the family/kinship unit over individuals in it. Either way, it will not contribute to a feminist awakening for some time.