A Little-Known Feminist Movement.

I am writing my final Seminar paper on women’s resistance movements in Afghanistan, particularly during the Taliban regime. In my research, I came across this website:

www.rawa.org

RAWA, (the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan) was founded in 1977 while Afghanistan was under Soviet occupation. The founder, known as Meena, has become a symbol of women’s liberation all over the Middle East, but especially in Afghanistan. She started her career in social activism when she was in college (under the Soviet rule, women were still allowed to go to school, the Taliban banned it in the late 1990's). She created a feminist magazine called Payam-e-Zan (“Women’s Message”) which disseminated feminist theory to oppressed women all over the country. Meena also founded schools for refugee children and supported other humanitarian causes. Like her American counterparts of the early twentieth century, Meena organized rallies and encouraged women to be active. She was executed as a political upstart by the Afghani version of the KGB in 1987.

RAWA continues its efforts to liberate women in the region despite the danger of expressing feminist ideals. The "Women's Message" magazine is still available, but the punishment for printing, receiving or for being in possession of it is severe.
I encourage you to peruse the website and learn more about this little-known (at least in America) feminist movement.

I did my History Seminar paper on the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, Fall 2007. I looked at the political aspects and added parts on the human loss for effect and the website you posted is really great and something I wish I had found when I was doing my paper! I don't think a lot of people understand what is happening in Afghanistan and I learned so much from my paper, I hope you do too.

Isn't is interesting when this organization was founded ... 1977, during the Soviet occupations ... it seems the more things change the more they stay the same ... think of the different regimes that have occupied Afghanistan since that time ...

It seems that as of late many influential women have supported this group.

Thanks.