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Maria Libreros Women Human Rights Assignment # 10

In the article “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” Lila Abu-Lughod argues that US intervention in Afghanistan should not be under the terms of “Liberating or saving Afghan Women”. She points out in how dangerous is the concept of culture when there are history, politics, and human rights involve. The problem is not muslim women wearing veil or the burqa but politics even when Laura Bush says that they are no longer imprisoned because of “War on Terrorism” as a justification.

Lila Abu-Lughod article is on the interest of US in Afghanistan. Laura Bush justify that they tacks to Afghanistan were primarily for women rights, but women’s rights is different to the culture and religion. Muslim women use veils and wear burqas because of religion, culture and beliefs. It appears that Us have tremendous interest on muslim women but as Abu-Lughod says they should focus in provide educational programs for women to minimize poverty, build self esteem and create independent women. Lila’s takes a close look about Ms. Bush claimed on liberation from Taliban and Terrorists that forced women to use veil and wear the burqa. She makes a call to be sensitive about other people’s beliefs, since the burqa and veil did not were invented by Taliban, but the way to show respect and or modesty when a women went out home, it is also a symbolic separation of men’s and women’s spheres, as part of the general association of women with family and home, not with public space where strangers mingled (Abu-Lughod,

2002, p785). The writer points out how refugees create a new way of cover their hair in Pakistan as a religious way of respect.

Therefore, Afghan women do not throw out the burqa because it is their identity, their culture and their most strong point in humans been their believes. The author cites some examples in how different cultures preserve their identities and beliefs. A clear example is the New Yorkers know that Jews Hasidic womens are “wearing wigs”, to cover their hair because of religious beliefs and it is also a requirement of the community and moral ideal as well, p785.

The main concern on Afghanistan-Taliban from Western and Us is political interest on oil and the only justification of war was to free women, to save them from wearing what they choose to wear. They can be educated, acquired culture, be independent women but their beliefs will be with them all.