The education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003 as reflected in Khaled Hosseini`s A Thousand Splendid Suns through the main characters of Mariam and Laila - USD Repository

  THE EDUCATION AND MARRIAGE LIFE OF AFGHAN WOMEN DURING 1974-2003 AS REFLECTED IN KHALED HOSSEINI’S A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF MARIAM AND LAILA A THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain Sarjana Pendidikan degree in English Language Education

  By Lusiana Sari Rahayu

  Student Number: 051214059

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

  THE EDUCATION AND MARRIAGE LIFE OF AFGHAN WOMEN DURING 1974-2003 AS REFLECTED IN KHALED HOSSEINI’S A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF MARIAM AND LAILA A THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain Sarjana Pendidikan degree in English Language Education

  By Lusiana Sari Rahayu

  Student Number: 051214059

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

  

It's all we have.”

  “There is only one, only one skill a woman needs in life

and they don't teach it in school.

It is: Endure. Women like us, we endure.

• A Thousand Splendid Suns

  I dedicate this thesis with love and gratitude to: My beloved late father, Yohanes Istiyanto My beloved mother, Artati Dwi Pertiwi

  My beloved Andreas Leksana Kuncara

  

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

  I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.

  Yogyakarta, 18 July 2011 The Writer

  Lusiana Sari Rahayu 051214059

  

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

  Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Lusiana Sari Rahayu Nomor Mahasiswa : 051214059

  Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

  

THE EDUCATION AND MARRIAGE LIFE OF AFGHAN

WOMEN DURING 1974-2003 AS REFLECTED IN KHALED

HOSSEINI’S A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS THROUGH

THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF MARIAM AND LAILA

  Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

  Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal 18 Juli 2011 Yang menyatakan Lusiana Sari Rahayu 051214059

  

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I praise the Lord, Jesus Christ, and Mother Mary who always guide and bless me in every step I made and that finally I could finish my thesis. I could do nothing without their love, blessing and guidance.

  I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Henny Herawati, S.Pd.,

  

M. Hum., my sponsor, for her patience, guidance and beneficial suggestions in

  finishing this thesis. I thank her for her support and encouragement so that I could accomplish my thesis. I would also thank all PBI lecturers for guiding me so far and sharing their knowledge during my study in Sanata Dharma University. I also thank PBI secretariat staff, Mbak Tari and Mbak Dani for being helpful and I thank the library staffs for their help in the process of writing this thesis.

  My deepest and endless gratitude goes to my beloved late father, Yohanes

  

Istiyanto and my beloved mother, Artati Dwi Pertiwi for their endless love,

  prayer and support. I would like to express my deep gratitude and love to my beloved companion, Andreas Leksana Kuncara, for love, support and patience throughout this time and that finally I could finish my thesis.

  I thank all friends in Alpha English Course for the support, especially

Ms. Yuli, Ms. Yo, Ms. Eva, Ms. Evalia, Ms. Prima, Ms. Dian, Ms. Heni, Ms.

  

Tiara, Ms. Estu, Ms. Rina, and Ms. Retno. I also thank Invani Leila for lending

  me this great novel. I thank Ega, Ucil, Dani, Celin, Yenni and Nopai, my friends during Play Performance, KKN, PPL II, and also my friends in KUNCI

  

Cultural Studies, Arka Paramita, Via-Via and Amarta Wicitra English

Course, for the precious experiences, laughter and sadness we’ve shared.

  Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has given me support, encouragement, and prayers and everyone whom I could not mention one by one.

  Wish the best come to us all.

  Lusiana Sari Rahayu

  i ii iv v vi vii ix xi xii

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE …………..………………………………………………….

  C. Theoretical Framework …………………………………..........…… 26

  4. The History of Taliban Regime ………………………………….

  3. The History of Mujahedeen Regime ……………………………..

  1. The History of Afghanistan ……………………………………… 2. The History of Soviet Occupation ……………………………….

  B. A review on Historical Condition of Afghanistan ...

  2. Critical Approach …………………………………..

  CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study …………………………….….….………. B. Problem Formulation …………………………………..…….....…… C. Objectives of the Study …………………………………..….……… D. Benefits of the Study ……………………………………...………... E. Definition of Terms ………………………………………...…….…. CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Review of Related Theories ………………………………....…….….…… 1. Character and Characterization …………………….

  ABSTRAK ………………………………………………………..………...

  TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………..……….. ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………..….……..

  LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI………………… ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………..…………..

  APPROVAL PAGES …………………………………….…………....…. DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………….…..……………. STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY …………………………...

  3

  CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study ………………………………….…….....……

  20 B. Approach of the Study …………………………………......……...

  21 C. Method of the Study ……………………………………....…..…..

  22 CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS

  A. Education …………..…..…..………………………………………

  23 B. Marriage Life………………………................................................

  30 1. Forced Marriage………………………………………………..

  33

  30 2. Underage Marriage……………………………………………..

  37

  34 3. Polygamy ……………………………………………………….

  39 4. Abuse …………………………………………………………..

  31

  45

  33 CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

  35 A. Conclusions ……………………………………………..….………

  36

  52 B. Suggestions …………………………………………………………

  54 1. Suggestions for Future Researchers ……………………....…...

  54 2. Suggestion for Using Literature in Teaching English ………...

  54 REFERENCES …………………………………………………………...

  57 APPENDICES …………………………………………………………….

  59 APPENDIX 1 The Summary of A Thousand Splendid Suns …………..........

  60 APPENDIX 2 The Biography of Khaled Hosseini ………………………….

  64 APPENDIX 3 The Lesson Plan for Teaching Intensive Reading II ….…….

  66 APPENDIX 4 Materials ………………..…………………………..………

  67

  

ABSTRACT

  Rahayu, Lusiana Sari. 2011. The Education and Marriage Life of Afghan

  

Women during 1974-2003 as Reflected in Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand

Splendid Suns Through the Main Characters of Mariam and Laila.

  Yogyakarta: Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Department of Language and Arts Education, English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

  This study is entitled The Education and Marriage Life of Afghan

   A Thousand Women during 1974-2003 as Reflected in Khaled Hosseini’s

Splendid Suns Through the Main Characters of Mariam and Laila. It deals

  with Khaled Hosseini’s novel describing the education and marriage life of Afghan Women during 1974-2003. This novel tells about the life of two women in Afghanistan, Mariam and Laila. It is interesting because their experiences were strongly influenced by the Afghanistan tradition and Islamic Law.

  Considering the aforementioned explanations, this study formulates one problem to be analyzed. It is: How does Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid

  

Suns reflect the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003

  through the main characters, Mariam and Laila? The method of this study is library study. The primary source of this study is Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. The secondary sources are books and articles on the theory of character and characterization, the history of Afghanistan, the history of Soviet occupation, the history of Mujahedeen regime, and the history of Taliban regime in order to achieve the objectives. Since this study focuses on education and marriage life of Afghan women, socio-culture- historical approach is employed as the approach of this study.

  The finding in this study reveals the education and marriage life experiences as the reflection of most Afghan women’s life. Mariam and Laila had different education experiences. Mariam did not go to school because her mother did not think that education was important for her. On the contrary, Laila went to school because her father realized that education was the most important thing for her instead of marriage. The marriage life experienced by Mariam and Laila are forced marriage, underage marriage, polygamy and abuses.

  It is recommended that future researchers explore what leads Rasheed as husband to be more abusive to his wives, Mariam and Laila. The future researchers can use socio-cultural-historical approach in analyzing the culture and the society and the theory of Family Abuse. It is also suggested for teachers to use A Thousand Splendid Suns as the materials in teaching Intensive Reading II.

  ABSTRAK

  Rahayu, Lusiana Sari. 2011. The Education and Marriage Life of Afghan

  

Women during 1974-2003 as Reflected in Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand

Splendid Suns through the Main Characters of Mariam and Laila.

  Yogyakarta: Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Penelitian ini berjudul The Education and Marriage Life of Afghan

   A Thousand Women during 1974-2003 as Reflected in Khaled Hosseini’s

Splendid Suns Through the Main Characters of Mariam and Laila. Penelitian

  ini berhubungan dengan novel yang ditulis oleh Khaled Hosseini yang menggambarkan tentang kehidupan wanita-wanita Afganistan dalam hal pendidikan dan pernikahan selama tahun 1974-2003. Novel ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan dua orang Afganistan yang bernama Mariam dan Laila yang sangat menarik untuk dipelajari karena pengalaman mereka sangat dipengaruhi oleh kuatnya tradisi di Afganistan dan Hukum Islam.

  Dengan mempertimbangkan hal-hal tersebut, penelitian ini merumuskan satu pertanyaan untuk dijawab. Pertanyaan tersebut adalah: Bagaimana novel Khaled Hosseini yang berjudul A Thousand Splendid Suns menggambarkan kehidupan wanita-wanita Afganistan dalam hal pendidikan dan pernikahan selama tahun 1974-2003 melalui dua tokoh utama, Mariam dan Laila?

  Metode dari penelitian ini adalah studi kepustakaan. Sumber utama dari penelitian ini adalah buku yang ditulis oleh Khaled Hoesseini yang berjudul A

  

Thousand Splendid Suns . Sumber kedua yang digunakan adalah beberapa buku

  dan artikel tentang teori karakter dan kerakterisasi, sejarah Afganistan, sejarah okupasi Soviet, sejarah rezim Mujahidin, dan sejarah rezim Taliban untuk mencapai tujuan penelitian ini. Karena studi ini terfokus pada kehidupan wanita Afganistan dalam hal pendidikan dan pernikahan, maka pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan sosio-kultur-historikal.

  Hasil penelitian ini mengungkapkan pengalaman-pengalaman dalam hal pendidikan dan pernikahan sebagai gambaran kehidupan para wanita Afganistan. Mariam dan Laila mempunyai pengalaman pendidikan yang berbeda. Mariam tidak pergi ke sekolah karena ibunya perpendapat bahwa sekolah tidaklah penting. Sedangkan Laila pergi ke sekolah karena ayahnya sangat sadar akan pentingnya pendidikan baginya. Pengalaman-pengalaman dalam pernikahan yang dihadapi oleh Mariam dan Laila sebagai tokoh utama adalah pernikahan paksa, pernikahan dibawah umur, poligami dan kekerasan dalam rumah tangga.

  Disarankan bagi peneliti selanjutnya yang juga tertarik pada buku ini untuk meneliti apa yang menyebabkan Rasheed sebagai seorang suami bersikap sangat kasar terhadap istri-istrinya, Mariam dan Laila. Peneliti selanjutnya dapat menggunakan pendekatan sosio-kultur-historikal dalam meneliti budaya dan masyarakat Afganistan serta peneliti dapat menggunakan teori Kekerasan dalam Rumah Tangga. Disarankan pula bagi guru untuk menggunakan A Thousand

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter consists of the background of the study, problem formulation,

  objectives of the study, and benefits of the study and definitions of terms. The background of the study conveys the reasons why I choose the topic and some related information about the topic. The problem formulation gives information about the problem analyzed in this study. The objective of the study conveys the goal of this study. The benefits of the study provide the benefit of this study for the readers and for me. The definitions of terms conveys some important terms used in this study.

A. Background of the Study

  Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns is an interesting novel since the setting of the story is Afghanistan which is an Islamic country. It is a country that is strongly influenced by the Islamic practices and traditions. The Islamic practices provide all aspects of Afghans’ life, especially Afghan women’s life.

  This novel reveals the education and marriage life of Afghan women. It tells about the practices, traditions and everything happened to the Afghan women in the year of 1974-2003 during the Soviet Occupation, Mujahedeen Regime, and Taliban Regime. All of them are conveyed by the main characters in the story, Mariam and Laila. Their characters showed how the practices and traditions had influenced their education and marriage life. They showed the differences of a girl who lived in a rural area and a girl who lived in a big city. I am particularly interested in the Afghan women’s life because of the period which is revealed in the novel. They experienced different treatment and chances in every regime. They also experienced the abuses and forces. They had to obey the rules that make their life more suffering. They experienced those terrible things and rules without any resistance. Therefore, this study intends to reveal the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003. I focus on the education and marriage life because the story of the novel emphasizes those two things.

  B. Problem Formulation

  The research problem of the study is How does Khaled Hosseini’s A

  

Thousand Splendid Suns reflect the education and marriage life of Afghan women

  during 1974-2003 through the main characters, Mariam and Laila?

  C. Objectives of the Study

  The objective of the study is to reveal Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand

  

Splendid Suns, the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-

2003 reflected through the main characters, Mariam and Laila.

  D. Benefits of the Study

  This study provides information and knowledge about education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003. There are some elements that will get the benefits, for readers who read this study may learn about the abuses, forces and violence against women in Afghanistan during the Soviet Occupation, Mujahedeen Regime and Taliban Regime. This study may encourage readers to reflect on the equality of how the education and marriage life of Afghan women during 1974-2003 are reflected in Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, through the main characters, Mariam and Laila. For students who are interested in discussing the same novel can use this study as a reference in comparing their study. For English Education Study Program, I designed some lesson plans that use this novel as the material.

E. Definition of Terms

  There are some terms that are often used in this study. I would like to define those terms to avoid unnecessary confusion, the terms are:

  1. Afghanistan: In Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture, it is described that the population Afghanistan in 1989 was 15,814,000. Someone who is from Afghanistan or whose parents from Afghanistan is called an Afghan (18). A country in Asia, the south west of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan and the north-west of Pakistan; the capital is Kabul. In this study, Afghanistan refers to the country which was the setting of the story in Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns.

  2. Education: it is also called learning, teaching or schooling in the general sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character, or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills, and values from one generation to another. In Formal, Non-

  Formal: Concepts and Applicability by Claudio Zaki Dib, there are two kinds

  of education, formal and non-formal education. Formal education corresponds to

  a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting curriculum as regards objectives,

  is a general term for

  content and methodology. Whereas, non-formal education

  education outside of a standard school setting. In this study, education refers to the formal one.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE In this chapter, there are three main parts. First is review of related theory

  which involves the theory of character and characterization and the theory of critical approach. The second is review on historical condition in Afghanistan which involves the history of Afghanistan, the history of Soviet occupation, the history of Mujahedeen regime and the history of Taliban regime. They contribute the facts and information of Afghanistan and Afghan women’s life during that period. The third is theoretical framework that describes how the theories reviewed are used in analyzing the problem formulation in this study.

A. Review of Related Theories 1. Character and Characterization

  Pickering explains that a major character of the plot can be protagonist and antagonist (26). He describes that it is easy to identify the protagonist because it becomes the readers’ focus of attention. However, the term of protagonist and antagonist do not imply a judgment about the moral worth because both represent a complex mixture of positive and negative.

  Pickering distinguishes two types of character to describe the relative degree (27). These are flat and round characters. The flat characters convey a single characteristic, trait or idea. They are usually minor actors. The round character conveys a number of qualities and traits. They are the major actors.

  Pickering explains the two techniques to present the character of the story (30-35). The first is direct method (by telling). It relies on exposition and direct comment by the author. The second is indirect method (by showing). The author allows the characters to show their character through dialog and actions. However, both methods do not stand alone, they can be use complementary.

  Besides the basic technique, Murphy explains the techniques more specific (161-173). They are personal description, characters as seen by another, speech,

  

past life, conversation by others, reaction, direct comments, thoughts, and

mannerism.

  Personal description explains about the person’s appearance and clothes,

  what the character is like and what the social class he or she is. Character as seen

  

by another describes the opinions of the character from another. Speech describes

the character by presenting the clues of his or her character directly to the readers.

  

Past life allows the readers learn something about a person’s past life and

  recognize the event happened to the certain characters. Conversation of other gives clues to a person’s character through the conversation of other people and the things are said about the certain character. Reaction means a reader see the character from the reactions of a certain character to the various situations happens in the story. Direct comment describes and comments the character directly. It is the most effective way in understanding character. Thoughts give direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. The last is mannerism. A person’s character is described through the person’s mannerism, habits and idiosyncrasies.

2. Critical Approach

  In order to have a reasonable judgment about this study, it is very important to employ the critical approach so that I can get a better understanding about the nature, the function and the benefit of the critical approach. As Rohrberger and Woods say in their book, literature is said to have an aesthetic value. The aesthetic value brings to the aesthetic response in which the readers give an evaluative judgment to the work of literature (10). Rohrberger and Woods think in order to have a reasonable judgment. We need to employ a means in which is called a critical approach (10). There are five approaches according to Rohrberger and Wood:

  The first is formalist approach. This approach suggests us to deal with the work itself. This approach focuses on the total integrity of literary work. It is not necessary to study about the author’s life, the social background, the psychological aspects or any sources related to the works. It focuses almost entirely on its aesthetic value.

  The second is biographical approach. It focuses on the ideas and personality of the author or the author’s life to have an understanding of literary works. The biography of the author and the biographical provision itself provide useful information that can facilitate to a better understanding and appreciation of works. Thus we must know the author’s life to understanding his writing better.

  The third is sociocultural-historical approach. It uses the sociocultural- historical evidence to support the readers in analyzing a literary work. It insists that people cannot fully understand work without understanding of the society. In other words, the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produces it. People believe that social, cultural and historical background cannot be separated from the literary work. History is also important in the literary work, because past event will determine the future. This approach will be used in this study, since literature has a relationship with the environment and civilization where it has been produced. Civilization is the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and literature takes these attitudes and actions as its subject matter.

  The fourth is mythopoeia approach. It deals with the ancient myths and folks rites to understand the literary works. This approach tries to find certain recurrent patterns of human thought. It is considered sharing the same universal belief to a certain community.

  The fifth is psychological approach. It emphasizes the use of psychology theories to analyze the personality and behavior patterns shown in the literary works.

B. Review on Historical Condition of Afghanistan 1. The History of Afghanistan

  It is very important to know the history of Afghanistan because the setting of A Thousand Splendid Suns is in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is one of the Moslem counties in South Central Asia. Benton explains that eighty percent of the country is mountainous. Afghanistan is where the Himalayas end and afford a way north across a plain. Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat are the largest cities in Afghanistan

  (66). As stated by Shapiro, most of Afghans belong to one or five different groups. They are the Pasthuns, the Tajiks, the Uzbeks, the Turkmen, and the Hazaras. The Pasthuns live in the south, the Tajiks live in the north-east and around Kabul, the Uzbeks and the Turkmen live on the northern plains and the Hazaras live in the mountains. They speak different languanges, such as: Pathun, Tajiks, and Hazaras Persian, and the Uzbeks (42).

  Afghanistan is one of the Islamic countries where people hold strongly tight to customs and traditions. The issue of women’s rights in Afghanistan has been historically constrained by the patriarchal nature of gender and social relations deeply embedded in traditional communities affecting Afghan women’s life (Moghadam 76). As stated by Abdullah Qazi, the repression of women is still prevalent in rural areas where many families still restrict their own mothers, daughters, wives and sisters from participation in public life (http://www.afghan- web.com/woman/).

  Besides the lack of education chances for Afghan women, there are some unpleasant experiences relate to marriage, such as forced marriage and underage marriage. As stated by Tahera Nassrat in her article entitled Force Marriages in

  

Afghanistan , in the rural areas of Afghanistan, girls are mostly married between

ages of 7 to 11. It is really rare that a girl reaches the age of 16 and is not married.

  The customs, traditions and community they live in make it impossible for girls to break free from forced marriages. By marrying children in early ages, parents believe, they are doing best for their children and they bond them into marriage contracts without their children’s consents. However, they do not consider that forced marriage affect women and young children adversely. It involves negative situations like threatening behavior, physical violence, sexual abuse and even other frightening actions. Violence against women is also one of consequences of underage marriage. Both Mariam and Laila got married in their early age. The

  

Commission of Women’s Position under the General Assembly of the United Nations

in 1993 defined domestic violence as: “Any gender-based violent act that causes

physical and/or psychological harms and damages, or harassing women through

threatening them to do so or a result of forced or discretionary deprivation, women

lose their freedom in society or family. In this declaration, all types of cruel and

inhumane acts that result in suffering and harassment have been condemned and

governments have been asked to take special measures for eliminating violence

against women. Even though this declaration has called on governments to fight

against violence, violence still remains under different forms. In this research, the

following indicators have been taken into account for analyzing violence. They are

physical violence, sexual violence and verbal violence. Physical violence includes

slapping, pinching, biting, kicking, fisting, burning, pouring hot water over the body,

detainment, beating with a stone or a stick. Sexual violence includes trying to

establish sexual relationship by force, damaging sexual organs, and boycotting and

cutting sexual relations. Verbal violence is that type of violence that results in

humiliation; isolation; and insulting of victimized person before his or her family and

relatives. In this type of violence, often women are humiliated and insulted.

  Polygamy is also one of the common and basic issues in Afghanistan. As stated in the Koran: “Marry more than one if you can be fair to them – but you the Koran injunction (Sura 4:3) shows that in practice perfect equality of treatment on the part of the husband is, for all practical purposes, impossible achievement. In the Social Status of Islam by Reuben Levy, it is stated that it is difficult for a man to act with impartial justice to several wives, so monogamy is imposed in that Prophet but it has not found many followers. In the research report of polygamy in Afghanistan, there are some conditions for a man who wants to do polygamy. The first condition is when there is no fear of injustice between the wives; the second condition is when the person has financial sufficiency to sustain the wives. That is, when he can provide food, clothes, suitable house, and medical treatment; the third condition is when there is legal expediency, that is when the first wife is childless or when she suffers from diseases which are hard to be treated. Actually, the right to marry or not to marry is a basic human right. Tradition and an improper interpretation of religious rules lie behind the many and varied abuses of women's rights in the country, particularly concerns to marriage, Baryalai Sabir Barya added that illiteracy and a lack of education were also contributing to the problem (http://www.afghan- web.com/woman/forcedmarriges.html).

  The political situation in Afghanistan always changes. The Afghan are accustomed to face wars and government rules. In 1919, there was the Declaration of Independent of Afghanistan and in 1921, the Treaty of Kabul marks the end of the British interference in Afghan affairs. Mohammed Zahir ruled Afghanistan

  th

  from 1933 to 1973. He proclaimed as neutral during the World War 2 on the 17 of July 1973. He was in Europe, when his government was overthrown in a military coup headed by Daoud Khan his cousin. Daoud Khan abolished the monarchy. He declared himself as a president. Then the Republic of Afghanistan was established. He was killed by the bloody communist coup in 1978. Taraki replaced Daoud Khan as the president. He ruled Afghanistan from 1978 to 1979.

  Mujahideen movement was born during his government. Unfortunately, he was killed in 1979. Hafizullah Amin took the presidency in 1979, but then he was killed in the same year. Mass killings happened in Afghanistan. The US ambassador was killed. He was replaced by Babrak Karmal. He ruled Afghanistan from 1979 to 1986. In 1986, Dr. Najibulllah replaced Babrak Karmal as the president. The Mujahideen took Kabul. He was protected by UN. He was the winner of an Islamic Jihad Council Elections. In 1994, Taliban militia was born and advanced rapidly against the Islamic government. As the result, Kabul was reduced to rubble. In 1996 to 2001, Taliban Militia forced President Rabbani and his government to go out of Kabul. Then Taliban executed Najibullah (http://www.afghanistans.com/ Information /History/Default.htm).

2. The History of Soviet Occupation

  As stated in Journal of International Women’s Studies, Afghanistan embarked on a modernizing journey with massive foreign aid and technical assistance from the Soviet Union. By the late 1950’s, women became active to help Afghanistan achieve its targeted development goals. Women’s issues were given some consideration. The Prime Minister Mohammad Daoud declared veiling. Women were expected to abandon the veil, marriage expenses were curtailed, and women were encouraged to contribute to the economy. The 1940’s and 1950’s women had the chance to work. They got chances to be nurses, doctors and teachers.

  In 1964, the third Constitution allowed women to enter elected politics and gave them the right to vote. In 1965, People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), a Soviet-backed socialist organization was formed. In the late 1970’s there was a rise in women’s education, faculty in the universities. Hosseini also described the situation during Soviet Occupation. It is stated, “The government had sponsored literacy classes for women. Almost two-third of the students at Kabul University were women now. Women were studying law, medicine, engineering.” (121)

  Out of some 5 million children in Afghanistan went to schools throughout the country and only 35 percent was girls. There are big regional differences in attendance levels. In major cities like Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e Sharif and Badakshan, the situation is better. It is about 50 percent of girls going to schools (http://www.afghan-web.com/woman/encouragegirlsschool.html). In five Afghan provinces, at least 90 percent of school-age girls are not attending school. These are the provinces in the south and on the border with Pakistan, where it is still a tradition among families to keep their daughters from school. Girls are only allowed to go to mosques between five and eight years old to learn the holy book of Koran. When they turn nine (the age they are considered to be approaching puberty), they are not allowed to go out of their houses as parents believe that they should not be seen by other men, meaning that they cannot go to school either.

  Again, the revolutionary pace of social change caused concern among the mullahs and tribal chiefs in the interiors. They viewed education, especially for women, is going to against the tradition, anti-religious and a challenge to male authority. It caused the incidents of shooting of women in western clothes, killing of PDPA reformers in the rural areas and general harassment of women social workers increased. As stated in an article, Girl Miss Out on Full Education, a father of a school girl from northern Kunduz province did not send his daughter to go to higher education because he had a conservative society and the neighbors might talk bad things about him because sending his daughter going to school. He stated that he did not let his daughter go to school because they had a conservative society. If he let his daughter go to school, then his relatives and neighbors would say bad things about him. He maintained that girls should work in the family home, and should not study or work outside the home. (http://www.afghan- web.com/woman/girlmisseducation.html). It is clearly seen that cultural constraints affecting female education in Afghanistan.

  There was also a rise in women’s representatives in the Parliament. The year 1978 saw the rise of power of the controversial PDPA. During the PDPA, rules that rapid social and economic change were implemented and mass literacy for women and men of all ages was introduced. In October 1978 a decree was issued of ensuring equal rights for women. Minimum age of marriage was set at 16 for girls and 18 years for boys, but most of Afghan families still determine to whom a daughter should get married and when she should get married (http://www.afghan-web.com/woman/forcedmarriges.html).

  Beginning with the Soviet occupation in December 1979, Afghanistan witnessed a decade long war. The Mujahedeen fought against the Soviets. They were supported by external forces, funding, and political interests by the United States, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and China. They were suspicious of the Soviet socialist agenda to annihilate the traditional culture and religion of Afghanistan. It was a war in the name of Islam, emphasizing a reversal of all socialist policies including those that guaranteed women liberties through education and employment.

3. The History of Mujahedeen Regime

  After years of civil wars, Najibullah was overthrown in April 1992 by the forces of Mujahedeen and some army alliances. The Mujahedeen groups then began fighting each other to win control of Kabul and other major cities. However, none of the political groups could establish an effective central authority so there were no laws spread across the country. Therefore, the citizens were suffering from the situation and the phenomenon of human right violation everywhere, especially human right violation for women and children. No one felt save to live there. It is stated in Woman in Afghanistan – a Human right Catastrophe , a document of Amnesty International.

  Thousands of unarmed civilian women have been killed by unexpected and deliberate artillery attacks on their homes. The vast majority have been killed in Kabul. They have been blown up or hit by rockets or bullets while walking in the street, waiting at bus stops, working in their houses or sheltering in large buildings. Many have died or been injured in attacks aimed at mosques, schools and hospitals. Similar attacks have been carried out on residential areas in other parts of the country (http://www.rawa.org/ai-women.htm).

  By the coming of Islamic fundamentalists in 1992, women’s right participation in social, economic, cultural and political life of the country was curtailed and denied. Women were totally violated of the right to education, of the right to work, of the right to travel or go out alone, of the right to health, of the right to legal recourse, of the right to recreation and of the right to being human. They could not show their faces in public to male strangers, they could not wear bright colored clothing, they could not put on make-up, they could only appear outside wear burqas, they could not wear shoes with heels that click, they could not travel in private vehicles with male passengers, they did not have the right to raise their voices when talking in public, they could not laugh loud as it lures males into corruption, etc. Those are the phenomenon of human right violations against women.

4. The History of Taliban Regime

  The situation became more frightening, on February 1995, a strong and popular political force known as the Taliban (religious students) had taken control of nine of Afghanistan's 30 provinces. The largest numbers of provinces were controlled by a single party. The goal of the Taliban was establishing social organization. The pioneers of the regime were some students who studied Islam in Pakistan. The first establishment had no connection between the Taliban and political situation in Afghanistan (http://www.cnn.com/specials/2001/taliban), but the Taliban changed the main goal of this regime into establishing a Moslem government (http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9610/05/taleban).

  The Taliban are the orthodox Muslims intent on establishing a strict Islamic Government System. The leader was Mullah Mujahid Mohammed Omar, well-known as Mullah Omar (http://news.bbc.co.uk).

  During the power, the Taliban conveyed a system of gender apartheid (http://feminist.org/afghan/facts.html). Under Taliban rules, women had been violated of their visibility, voice, and mobility. When they took control in 1996, the Taliban initially imposed strict rules. The rules made women lost their freedom.

  Women were not allowed to work outside the home, so they were expected to stay at home and do the household chores. They were not allowed to do activities outside the home unless accompanied by a mahram (close male relative such as a father, brother or husband). They are not allowed to ride a bicycle or motorcycle, to play sports or to enter a sport center, to go to schools and universities, to get any treatment from male doctors at the hospitals, to travel in the same bus with men, to wash clothes at the river or at a place which could be seen by public, and to speak and to laugh loudly.