Al Jazeera reported that Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered a review of a new law that sanctions marital rape. News of this law, which the president signed last month, quickly spread in the international press. It was heavily criticized by President Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
According to the website Womensenews, "The legislation was proposed by Afghan's Shia minority to regulate family life." The law states that women must sexually fulfill their husbands, and that they must ask permission (presumably from the husbands) in order to go to the doctor or to work.
It is back to the Dark Ages everyone. To think that such legislation was actually signed into law by President Karzai proves that the man is either totally indifferent to women's human rights, or that he is a mere politician bent on courting the favor of the Shia, or both. This law is an outrage to women everyone. Could you ever imagine the reverse - a law that states that husbands are required to sexually satisfy their wives, and that they must ask the wives' permission to see a doctor or go to work.
After review of this law that denigrates and objectifies women, is completed, let us hope that it is quickly abolished, never again to rear its ugly head.