The forsaken women of AfghanistanOwing to the pandemic and other calamities, many referred to 2020 as a "biblical year". A growing body of research has shown that promoting gender equality benefits not only women but the entire economy. A score of 100 indicates complete equality (under the law) between men and women; a score of zero indicates that women have none of the rights afforded to men. In 2020, Afghanistan's WBL score was 38.1, compared to a global average score of 76.1 and a South Asian regional average score of 63.7. In recent joint work, I argue that while Sharia imposes some constraints on women, it is not necessarily inconsistent with making progress on legal gender equality.

Source: Bangkok Post September 17, 2021 00:11 UTC