Afghanistan

            Imagine that you were denied the right to be educated, or to work. Imagine that you were forced to cover yourself from head to toe every time you left your house, and that you could be beaten or killed for appearing in public without a close male relative. Imagine that you were denied medical treatment because your government would not allow a male doctor to treat you ("Women and Girls"). Most of us cannot imagine living such a life, but for females in Afghanistan, this is the life they lead every day. Since September of 1994, a political group called the Taliban has been committing acts of terrorism toward Afghan women ("The Taliban Story"). Every day, women in Afghanistan are beaten and raped by Taliban officials, in addition to being denied their basic rights ("Perspective on Women's Plight"). Today, the Taliban has taken control of over ninety percent of Afghanistan. The rest of the country is able to stay free from Taliban rule only by armed resistance (Goodwin 288). The Taliban regime has the power to pass laws oppressing women; this oppression includes forbidding them from attending school or closing all women's hospitals (Goodwin 289). The actions that this organization has taken against women are an infringement on the basic rights of all humans. For this reason, it is crucial that not only the United States but the entire global community make all possible efforts to help the women of Afghanistan.
             Countries that recognize human rights have a moral obligation to ensure that human rights are recognized universally. The entire concept of human rights is based upon the foundation that human rights should apply to everyone. For this reason, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The Universal Declaration is considered a standard for all countries recognizing human rights ("Human Rights"). When human rights are violated, it is the responsibility of a country or organization that recognizes human rights to intervene.