Afghan Women's Rights, Restricted?

As I was scoping through the feministcampus.org website I saw a headline dated for today reading “Afghan Woman's Rights may be Severely Restricted by New Law.” I sat and pondered, staring at the computer, wondering how this could be happening. Everyone had been fund raising and even event holding to prevent something like this from this happening. The law had been signed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai around last month, which would restrict several common rights that we have here, unless they had the permission of their husband. That means no going outside, no having jobs, no education, and no health care unless their husband said it was OK.
After I had read this I was appalled; I still am. I just do not understand how they can take away the simplistic “used everyday” rights and just hand them over to the men. I understand there is a whole culture difference but everyone is a human, everyone has feelings, needs, and ideas and should be able to express them freely and not have to have permission to do what they please. What makes the men so great that they get control of another’s rights? I wonder what it would be like if women were in favor over there instead of men… I wonder if men would be treated the same as they treat the women now…
As I read further I felt even more astonished, possibly a little disgusted. The law also mentions how women would have to give themselves up to their husband when the husband wanted it and if it for some reason the sex or the relationship did not work out, the men automatically got custody of the children. This is just unbelievable. So they basically just passed a law saying it is okay to rape your wife? I thought I was horrible until I read the last part of the paragraph.
The last part of the bill states that women would be excused from having to have sex with their husband only if they were sick or had a “reasonable excuse” and were allowed to leave the home without the permission of the husband, if it were an emergency. Oh, I see, so if they are sick they are allowed to refuse sex to the husband? What happens if he still has sex with her? Is it rape? Would the husband be punished? I doubt it, probably just a slap on the wrist. The woman will probably be told she’s playing sick. Also a reasonable excuse? Why don’t they just call it what it is; menstruation. I think the man just finds it bad so because they don’t want it it’s an excuse for the women.
Leaving the home only because of an emergency is the most hurtful to hear of. Everyone should have to capability of getting up and going where they want then they want without needing to be allowed to do so. I can’t even imagine what it is like to be living in this type of situation. I just hope some sort of change happens that allows the women to have more freedom and possibly men abide by their laws.

by stepfanie <( --)>