Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan
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The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) is a women's organization in Afghanistan that promotes secular democracy. It was founded in 1977 by Meena, a student activist, and opposed both the Soviet supported Communist regime and the later Taliban fundamentalist rulers.
Since RAWA opposes all forms of religious fundamentalism, it is controversial even among women in some areas in Afghanistan, especially in Helmand, Qandahar, Jalalabad, Khost and Kunar. Much of their efforts in the 1990s involved holding seminars and press conferences and other fund raising activities in Pakistan as well as the creation of secret schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They had little visible presence in the areas under the Taliban and in those areas controlled by the loose coalition called the Northern Alliance, as many of their activities were forbidden and there were several death threats against them.
They declare their current activities as: The promotion of women's rights under Afghanistan's interim government, attempting to keep women's issues in the forefront of any permanent government, and expanding educational opportunities for women. They collect funds to support hospitals, schools and orphanages.
After the defeat of the Taliban regime by US and Afghan forces, RAWA warned against the Northern Alliance as being equally fundamentalist and dangerous. They charge that the current government led by Hamid Karzai has no support in most areas of Afghanistan, and that fundamentalists are enforcing anti-woman laws as they were under the Taliban. These claims are supported by media reports about the Herat government of Ismail Khan, who has created a religious police which forces women to obey strict dress and behavior codes.
The group is sometimes branded as Maoist by opposing parties as their call for secularism, women's rights and human rights is in contrast to the political parties who desire an Islamic form of government. The communist invasion of the 1980's used similar slogans in their propaganda campaigns to win popularity among the people, and such may be a reason why RAWA is now associated in many people's minds with Maoism.
On December 10, 2000, RAWA organized a protest of hundreds of refugees from Afghanistan in Islamabad against the political situation and the killing of two protesting students at the University of Kabul by security forces.