A majority of people in Afghanistan support human rights for Afghan women. Men, in particular, show increased support for women’s rights when they are prompted to think about their eldest daughters. This is according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Kristina Becvar and colleagues from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
IMPACT OF TALIBAN CONTROL ON AFGHAN WOMEN
Human rights groups have been deeply concerned about the rights of Afghan women since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021. Since then, Afghan women have faced significant restrictions, including being barred from higher education, losing jobs, and experiencing high levels of early marriage and gender-based violence. To explore how advocacy for women’s rights might be more effective, the authors conducted an online survey of Afghans, asking about their views on women’s rights to education, employment, and more.
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY
Among the 7,513 respondents, 66% agreed or strongly agreed that human rights for women should be a top priority for the future of Afghanistan. Notably, 45% of those who strongly supported the Taliban’s control also supported women’s rights. The study’s findings highlight broad support for women’s rights across various demographics and the significant influence of the “first daughters” effect.
BROAD SUPPORT ACROSS VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHICS
Women, urban residents, and those who rated themselves lower on the economic ladder were most likely to voice support for women’s rights. This widespread support indicates a strong foundation for advocating women’s rights in Afghanistan.
THE “FIRST DAUGHTERS” EFFECT
The study also confirmed the “first daughters” effect, where having a daughter affects a father’s attitudes toward women. When fathers were prompted to think of their eldest daughters, their support for women’s rights rose to 80%. Furthermore, in the comments provided by survey respondents, men primed to think of their eldest daughters were 4% more likely to mention equality as an important right, 2% more likely to say women’s rights are beneficial for society, and 3% more likely to call for international pressure on the Taliban to support women’s rights.
IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVOCACY AND FUTURE EFFORTS
While the survey only captured the views of internet users in Afghanistan, the findings suggest that human rights organizations could effectively target fathers of eldest daughters to advocate for women’s and girls’ rights. The authors recommend leveraging this specific constituency to elevate women’s status in Afghan society.
LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH
The survey’s scope was limited to internet users, which may not fully represent the Afghan population. Future research should aim to include a more diverse demographic to provide a comprehensive understanding of attitudes toward women’s rights in Afghanistan. The authors emphasize the need for continued efforts to understand and address the challenges faced by Afghan women.
“Our data shows Afghans – even Taliban-aligned Afghans – overwhelmingly support women’s basic human rights, and that fathers of eldest daughters are a particularly receptive constituency in elevating women’s status in Afghanistan,” the authors conclude.
