The Inequality Of Women In A Thousand Splendid Suns

Throughout history, women have been the victim of inequality and been treated as less than men. The book A Thousand Splendid Suns, perfectly shows how women in Afghanistan are constantly mistreated, as well as how the conflicts that occur in this society in this time impacted women’s rights. The Taliban put out a list of rules for people to follow in Afghanistan, specifically targeting women and restricting women's rights. Women were no longer allowed to work, or had major restrictions on how they did their job. Women were also often severely abused in their homes, from marriages that were usually forced. The conflicts in Afghanistan throughout this book further caused restrictions in women’s rights, prevented women from working, and revealed how women were abused in their own homes. In 1996, The Taliban made their way to Kabul, the place where Miriam and Laila live in this book. When they do enter the city,

Women were usually married off at a very young age to a man who was much older than them, at the choice of their father. Women had very little say in who they married. Also, more often than not, the men were very abusive in their relationships. Sexual, verbal and physical abuse were very prominent in the marriages of this book, and many women could not get any help. Even the police would not interfere with what went on in a household, as how a man treated his wife was not for them to try to prevent. “ Downstairs, the beating began. To Laila, the sounds she heard were those of a methodical, familiar proceeding.” (Pg. 268) Laila was very accustomed to Rasheed beating her and Mariam, as though it was a regular practice. This shows how women were not capable of speaking up for themselves when they were in these situations, therefore they were trapped in the situation. Women were often greatly mistreated in their marriages, and did not have anyone to turn to for