Throughout recent history, Afghanistan has been a country in turmoil. Famine, drought, civil war and Taliban rule have had a significant impact on the Afghan people. While this has had a very negative impact on all Afghan people, I believe no one has been more negatively impacted than Afghan women. That said, not everything that the Western world considers negative is also considered negative by Afghan women and men. Just read this quote: “Wearing the burqa is not obligatory, but few women are quick to take it off” (Germani 14). While the rule of the Taliban and al-Qaida had a great negative impact from 1996 to 2001 and obviously oppressive for all Afghan women. They were not the only source of oppression felt by Afghan women, as stated in this quote: “The roots of patriarchal oppression run deep into Afghan society, much deeper than those of the Taliban or al-Qaida.” (Rostami-Povey, E. 2007 )As shown in the film, Enemies of Happiness ( ) Afghan women still suffer from planned marriages and child brides. Even though marriages of women under the age of 16 are prohibited by the Constitution, this film clearly shows that this continues to happen. As well as reading the introduction of Afghan women in this quote “Afghan authorities do not investigate women's complaints” (Rostami-Povey 2). Further evidence comes from the Ms Magazine article Stones can't Stop Them, when in April 2009 the president of Afghanistan signed the Shia Personal Status Law, which included recognition of child marriage (Tang 21). And although this law was later withdrawn, it shows that oppressive thinking is still present in Afghan culture today. Education is another way Afghan works... middle of paper... and I have seen the civil war; I saw everything damaged and destroyed,” he says, “This thought was always in my head: 'I have to work in construction; I have to help the conditions here” (Lemmon 35). Afghan women are truly making a difference; they're doing it on their own terms too. Afghan women have endured many hardships and unfathomable oppression. A country plagued by war and governed by an inhumane regime or other unwanted forms of government. Despite all this, Afghan women have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and a humane spirit that proves that the women of the world, no matter how harshly subjugated, will continue to fight for what they believe in. I am a true testimony to all women and one this, in my opinion, demonstrates that the true spirit of humanity can intrinsically come from the female of the species and not the much celebrated male!