Author's note : In 2000, women doctors, lawyers, shop managers, and university students in Afghanistan were prevented from holding occupations of ANY kind, and all women were prevented from receiving ALL health care. That's what happens when religious extremists take over a country -- no matter what their relgion. Couldn't happen in the U.S.? After reading and hearing statements by Christian fundamentalists, I'm not so sure... learn how you can fight the religous right.

And below are my favorite resoruces regarding reproduction and civil rights:

• The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) has information on upcoming legislation, court decisions and other actions that affect a woman's right to choose,, as well as NARAL factsheets, designed to give you a quick look at the status of a reproductive health issues. The NARAL Web site also has a voting record report where you can look up the voting history of your Senators and Representatives. There are also many state-specific web sites that are part of the NARAL network, such as the Texas Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League (TARAL) and the California Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League, (for the latter I volunteered for four years - 1991 to 1995 -- to produce the South Bay's newsletter, and I thoroughly enjoyed that experience).

   
  

• Planned Parenthood of America and the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
  Planned Parenthood is the most wonderful pro-family, pro-women's health group anywhere. All of their programs are worthy of your support!

   
  

• United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA works to ensure universal access to reproductive health, including family planning and sexual health. Reproductive health is recognized as a human right, part of the right to health. UNFPA is the world's largest international source of funding for population and reproductive health programmes. The Fund has provided nearly $6 billion in assistance to developing countries. UNFPA works with governments and non-governmental organizations in over 140 countries, at their request, and with the support of the international community. All UNFPA-funded programmes promote women's equality.

   
  

• Egyptian Organization for Human Rights was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Cairo. It has 17 provincial branches throughout Egypt. EOHR works within the framework of the principles established in Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international human rights instruments, and acts against both governmental and non-governmental human rights violations.

   
  

• Anti-Slavery International is the world's oldest international human rights organisation. Its roots stretch back to 1787 in Britain, when the first abolitionist society was formed. In 1975, it worked for the creation of a group of experts within the United Nations dedicated to the elimination of slavery, now called the UN Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Have a look at the Anti-Slavery International web site, and learn more about the extent of modern slavery, and how you can help to stop it.

   
  

• The Coalition for Positive Sexuality: Sex Ed for Teens is a good place to learn about the realities of sex. It in no way glamourizes sexual activity (unlike soap operas, primetime TV, the movies, etc.), nor does it promote sexual activity; rather, the coalition promotes the development of a positive attitude about sexuality, and promotes detailed sex education so that young people can make truly informed choices in their sexual practices.

   
  

• The WebActive Directory
  an annotated, searchable directory of 1,250 progressive groups that are online. Users can input a key word, and quickly use hyperlinks to find their way to the progressive sites that best respond to their interests.

   
  

Before the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, women in Kabul made up 40 percent of all doctors there, 70 percent of all teachers there and 50 percent of all civil servants. There were also many thousands of female university students. Women helped their husbands, fathers and brothers in small businesses as well. Now, the Taliban has ruled that women must be prevented from ALL occupations and education whatsoever. Women are now even banned from receiving healthcare. The Taliban represent a modern and extreme version of Islam that was historically unknown in Afghanistan. Because of the Taliban's oppressive, murderous regime and its treatment of women, Amnesty International declared the entire female population of Afghanistan prisoners of conscience, well before the USA invasion of the country. One fourth of Afghan children in the country or in refugee camps do not survive their fifth birthday. Literacy rates are barely above 4% for women. Afghanistan has the lowest UN gender development ranking in the world. Even with the Taliban largely defeated, their cultural legacy lives on, keeping women and girls out of school, the workplace, and hospitals.

Please donate to any organization working in Afghanistan to improve the status and health of women.

Are you listening? I am!

This information posted by J. Cravens. The personal opinions expressed on this page are solely the opinion of Ms. Cravens, unless otherwise noted.

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