You Think Your Life is Tough?

Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future. ~ Brian Tracy

Try being a woman in Afghanistan...

Today a group that I'm part of on Facebook, US Army Females, posted a picture of an Afghan woman being sworn into the Afghan Army. I was proud and amazed at her bravery, not only as a woman, but as a woman knowing that women in that area of the world face much greater obstacles than I ever have or ever dreamed of.
According to Trust in Education, Afghan women have seen many freedoms given to them since the Taliban left total power in 2001, but there are things we take for granted that Afghan women can only dream of.

Afghan women:
* Are more likely to die during childbirth due to the various factors including child marriage.
* cannot leave their homes unless they receive permission from their husbands
* Are legally subjected to marital rape
* are often subjected to abuse so many see the only way out of an abusive marriage is through self-immolation (setting oneself on fire)

But education, when and where allowed has decreased certain statistics, While Sharia Law still applies to about 20% of the Afghan population, thankfully many things are changing including women obtaining the right to vote, hold jobs, and receive an education.

So why am I mentioning this? Many human rights groups and education foundations are making a concerted effort to do what they can to set up schools for Afghan children, especially girls. In fact, statistics show that if the male population is educated, then they are more tolerant of and encourage females to receive an education. I surmise that this translates into other areas including the general workforce, government, and the military.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to live in a country where I can work, vote, and travel freely. In turn, I'm glad that my daughter has the ability to get a quality education and be whatever she desires. As an educator, it is always gratifying to see women achieving educational and employment goals, which have not been available to them in the past. However as a human being, I am also passionate about preserving basic human rights.

So back to the picture I saw: what an extraordinary tribute to the power of determination and human spirit! Though these woman may not realize it, they have allowed little girls in their country see and know that they have opportunities they have never dreamed of. To me, that is not only admirable but also eye opening. When I get frustrated about trying to break the glass ceiling or the disparity in pay between genders, I have to remind myself that I could live in a country like Afghanistan, where I would be regarded as a second class citizen and thus not be afforded, the freedoms that I take for granted. Then my trials and tribulations don't seem that bad.