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Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future Paperback – October 4, 2002

by Sunita Mehta (Editor)
3.8 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
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Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future is a collaborative attempt to write history, to bring greater awareness to the issues of Afghanistan and Afghan women, and to promote the agency of Afghan women in issues that impact their lives. The book includes a variety of female voices, highlighting a unifying desire to come together as women and share, network, and strategize for change. This desire is focused on Afghan women but is also about global sisterhood and about the importance of feminist activism on an international level. "Women for Afghan Women," a group comprised of both Afghan and non-Afghan women, was formed in April 2001 and is committed to the struggle for Afghan women's human rights.

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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    St. Martin's Griffin
  4. Publication date
    October 4, 2002
  5. Dimensions
    5.68 x 0.65 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1403960178
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1403960177
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the past year, many books have been compiled to address Americans' general unawareness of Afghanistan and the plight of its people. This one covers that vacuum by telling the story of Afghan women through their own voices. Cofounder of the human rights group Women for Afghan Women and director of grants at the Sister Fund in New York City, Mehta has compiled essays from a wide variety of women, both Afghan (Sima Wali, Saira Shah) and American (Gloria Steinem, Angela King), who are active in human rights and have personal experiences in Afghanistan. This collection traces the history of Afghan women's rights and roles through the latter decades of the last century. Several essays delve into the respected role of women in the Muslim faith; others discuss the ramifications of the Soviet invasion and Taliban rule. The book concludes with essays on solutions for the future and reasons for hope. This particularly well-written, readable work provides timely insights and information about the people of Afghanistan and the faith of Islam. Recommended in addition to basic sources about the region.
Deborah Bigelow, Leonia P.L., NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“A very valuable addition to the spate of recent works on Afghanistan.” ―B. Tavakolian, Choice

“...this excellent collection...provides both basic information for a newcomer...and sophisticated critiques....” ―Amy Zalman, Women's Review of Books

“Over the last few months, many people have spoken on behalf of Afghan women; this book serves the invaluable function of allowing them to speak for themselves.” ―Amitav Ghosh, author of The Glass Palace

“This stimulating collection gives a voice to women whose voices have been shrouded in silence. To read the words of many of these remarkable women is to understand the truth behind-and beyond-the burqa.” ―Shashi Tharoor, author and Head of the Department of Public Information, United Nations

“The writing in this book gives testament to the brilliance, power and potential of the women of Afghanistan. These voices must be heard.” ―Eve Ensler, author, The Vagina Monologues and Necessary Targets

“...some survival stories make history. In this regard, the women in Afghanistan and refugee Afghan women worked in the shadows to preserve their dignity. I commend the members of ‘Women for Afghan Women' for this illuminating collection of essays.” ―Asma Jahangir, Supreme Court of Pakistan; UN envoy

“...Women were responsible for mobilizing international public opinion against the Taliban and for rescuing Afghanistan.This book ensures that their story is told, that their struggle is not forgotten and that it continues as Afghan women try and rebuild their shattered lives and country.” ―Ahmed Rashid, author of Taliban

“In the past year, many books have been compiled to address Americans general unawareness of Afghanistan and the plight of its people. This one covers that vacuum by telling the story of Afghan women through their own voices...This particularly well-written, readable work provides timely insights and information about the people of Afghanistan and the faith of Islam. Recommended in addition to basic sources about the region.” ―Deborah Bigelow, Library Journal

“...provide[s] an antidote to Western arrogance...attempt[s] to give a voice to the world's unheard women.
” ―Washington Post Book World

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 4, 2002
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1403960178
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1403960177
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.68 x 0.65 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

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3.8 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Caryn Lawson
    5.0 out of 5 stars the view of afghan women
    Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2002
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I recently read this book and was most impressed by the honesty of many of the Afghan women, as well as the essays which clarified what the Q'uran says about women. As far as Islam goes, it is very important to make a distinction between theology and culture. Many of the things that that non-Muslims view as unacceptable (with respect to women)in the Muslim world are based on cultural practices not the Q'uran. Afghan women have been clear in this book in stating that although they want the support of women worldwide, that they must be the ones to determine the direction of the women's movement in Afghanistan. It is critical to the sucess of such a movement that it develop within a cultural and religious framework that is appropriate to them. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Kabul from 1977-79 and hold both Afghanistan and it's people close to my heart. We must support their efforts toward rebuilding their country, but remember, it is their country!
    Caryn Giles Lawson
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Eleanor Skinner
    3.0 out of 5 stars 2 really good essays
    Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Published in 2002; I read it mainly in 2021.

    I was hoping for meaningful personal essays or in depth history, politics, and/or social science essays. This was not that book. It's more of a beginner's antho on Afghan feminism and history.

    There's an essay on the history of women in Islam ("Women and Equality in Islam" by Sanaa Nadim) that would be very good, except all of the examples of women doing things which are sometimes restricted tomen reference a woman by name, with no location/time period/context. It's possible those women are famous in Muslim culture(s), but a lot of the people buying this book published in America are probably, like me, unfamiliar with Muslim religious history. Examples along the lines of "Robin Smith operated a small business and lectured about the sayings of the Prophet" end up reading like something from a chain letter: "One man forwarded this to all his friends and won the lottery that week." In today's climate, this is a really unfortunate impression, and I'm sure it's not one the essay's author wanted to give. There was info in the same essay that I hadn't read about, and if the list of examples hadn't been so flawed I would have ranked the essay one of the best in the book.

    The essay on woman applying for asylum ("I Hope This Letter Will Reach You" by Irena Lieberman) was very good at walking the reader through the details of the process from the traumatized female applicant's point of view so that it's easy to understand why people make this or that reply. This was very useful, and I would love to see this essay reprinted somewhere today.

    "Muslim Women's Rights: A Contemporary Debate" by Riffat Hassan is about how Muslim women have viewed their religion recently. There's a page or so of description of religious texts, then details about how various Muslim women participated in and responded to several United Nations conferences and what Afghan women in particular have talked to the author about. The essay has details and substance and I enjoyed it.

    Lieberman's and Hassan's essays are why I'm keeping the book after reading it instead of giving it away.

    There are also an awful lot of essays by famous American activists. This was probably done to ease American readers into the subject and encourage them to read the book, and it was probably harder to find Afghan women to write essays right after we went to war, considering time pressure and the small number of Americans who could translate Pashto or Dari, and possible lack of access to locations. I would have appreciated hearing from more actual Afghan women and/or Afghan women emigrants though; or at least fewer American activists contributing two or three pages saying how important it is to read about the issue. The issue *is* important to read about. So let it speak for itself. People will be able to tell.

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:
    Foreword : Afghanistan : truth and mythology / Sima Wali
    Introduction : building community across difference / Sunita Mehta and Homaira Mamoor.
    ------section 1: The lessons of history.
    Women have no name in that land / Fevziye Rahzogar Barlas [poetry]
    Afghan women : an allegory / Freshta Amirzada [poetry]
    Looking back, looking forward / Eleanor Smeal
    Women and equality in Islam / Sanaa Nadim
    The Zan of Afghanistan : a 35-year perspective on women in Afghanistan / Arline Lederman
    Excerpts from The apostle's diary / Elizabeth Gould and Paul Fitzgerald
    The kaleidoscope of memory / Gloria Steinem
    The mission of RAWA : freedom, democracy, human rights / Weeda Mansoor
    The loya jirga (grand assembly) tradition in Afghanistan : will the formation of a loya jirga empower women and solve the crisis in Afghanistan? / Sara Amiryar
    A vision of justice, equality, and peace / Fahima Vorgetts
    Miss Afghanistan : a story of a nation / Zohra Yusuf Daoud with contributions from Murwarid Abdiani
    Photo essay : history, faces, transplanted lives / Lina Pallotta.
    ------section 2: Stories and strategies for claiming the future.
    In mourning of my city ; Faryad [poetry]
    (scream) / Atia Gaheez [poetry]
    On making political change / Ruth Messinger
    Muslim women's rights : a contemporary debate / Riffat Hassan
    United Nations and Afghanistan / Angela E.V. King
    Women are opening doors : Security Council resolution 1325 in Afghanistan / Felicity Hill and Mikele Aboitiz
    I hope this letter will reach you / Irena Lieberman
    Public health : a reconstruction policy in Afghanistan / Zohra Rasekh
    Two identities, one mission / Fariba Nawa
    Hope in Afghanistan / Masuda Sultan
    Epilogue : from pawns to principals : the future of Afghan women / Rina Amiri.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Charles Henry Higgensworth III
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wet Burqa Contest
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2002
    Format: Paperback
    Well, you won't be seeing one of those in Kabul anytime soon (see childish review title, above). Which is, in a sense, one of the scant but meaningful advantages enjoyed by women in conservative societies, as the voices in this insightful book make abundantly clear. If 'liberation' means appearing on the cover of "Maxim" clad in a thin veneer of Silly String, many would think twice about buying into the modernity that we're peddling. This insightful book elicited a passel of new notions in me about the need for enlightened relativism when comparing modern and traditional societies. All of which were moderated abruptly when I shared them with my wife - who herself was recently 'liberated' from the beaches of Punta Del Este, where the garb of most Maxim girls would be dismissed as laughably prim. Her predictable response was to christen me 'Mullah Charles' and to withhold her affections from me for a week - a modern Lysistrada, albeit one without a Peloponnesian War to stop. My bumbling attempt at atonement - trying to assert my modernity by boorishly commenting that author Mehta looked "rather hot" in her inset photo - only proved to both of us that I have plenty to learn about women from my own hemisphere, never mind the other one.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • S. Mat
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not written too well
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2010
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I found this book a little difficult to read. I was expecting a powerful & gripping call to support these women. But instead got a dry read without continuity and just a statement of facts. Some folks may like that. But it wasn't for me. I still though support the cause and therefore 3 stars...
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  • Missy Klein Hudson
    1.0 out of 5 stars I am very surprised at the 5 star rating of this book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2005
    Format: Paperback
    I read this book and found it boring at times and inconsistent in terms of how it flowed. I think the mix of Afghan womens stories and American activists stories being compiled in one book was a good idea. The book did not spark interest in me and didn't fully grasp my attention the way other books have or Afghan women that I have met in real life have. In my opinion it was poorly written:(
    2 people found this helpful
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