“We want our rights! We want equality!” – “Death to the enemies of Islam!”

These are two phrases chanted by opposing groups during the protest demonstration by a group of about 300 Afghan women yesterday in Kabul. The group of women were voicing their opposition to the recent law passed by the Parliament and signed by President Karzai, which among other items, states that Shiite women in the country must submit to their husbands’ sexual wishes, requires a husband’s permission for a wife to leave the house for school or work, and also includes restrictions about women’s dress attire.

The women started their demonstration at a madrasa, which was involved in drafting the law, and was followed by a march to the nation’s Parliament building where an official petition protesting the law was turned in. The women faced taunts from groups of mostly men much larger than themselves, but thankfully there were no reports of physical violence.  (*Update: Apparently there were some stones thrown at the women)

I believe this to be a potentially significant event in Afghanistan’s growth as a state and for its representative governance. While the fact that such a law was passed by Karzai and the Parliament is disheartening and disturbing, the fact that the nation’s citizens, specifically women, could protest against it without government repression, and in fact with government protection as police forces were there to protect against violence, is a hopeful sign. For democracy to grow, all legitimate parties, that is ones that denounce violence, need to have a voice or at least the ability to have their voice heard, and this protest is a small step in this regard.

Will these brave women get the law overturned? Probably not. Did they get their viewpoint across to a large segment of the population? I think so.

An opposition political event like this occurring with state-backing showcases to me at least some semblance of democratic machinery that though is obviously quite squeaky and still full of misplaced screws and missing parts, shows some progress.

The international community, United States, and Europe should all shine a light on this protest, and not just because it was for human and women’s rights and against oppression, though this is crucial and should be shouted from the hilltops, but also because the Afghan state showed some maturity. Foreign leaders and media have to walk a fine line here, voicing their opposition to such an illiberal law, but also not wanting to appear to pushy at a young and fragile Afghan government that is battling for its life against the Taliban.

To conclude I just want to say, thank you to this courageous group of women, who stared down hatred and bigotry and said ‘enough!’