e in return for the solidarity of the family structure and the support and protection that it gives her and her children."While women in Islamic world have been segregated and secluded, and historically have been considered second-class citizens by the vast majority of males in the community, they have not been totally without power." They have been able to maintain a degree of control over their own lives and over the men with whom they live through many of the religious practices previously described. The fact that they alone have the ability to bear children, the influence they continue to play in the lives of their sons, and the power they have over their son's wives are subtle indications that there are certain checks and balances on the obvious authority invested by the Quran in menuntil now. A new political force in Afghanistan, the Taliban, have taken all these simple religious and social laws and exaggerated them greatly. When the members of the Taliban first revealed themselves, they gave the world the impression that they had come to rid Afghanistan of its problems. "At first, even the ousted government of today, recognized the Taliban as a legitimate Afghan force that wanted to rid corruption and disorder. However, as time passed, the true nature of the Taliban was revealed." Soon, the Taliban became known as a militia that used a mixture of false propaganda, foreign money, and opium to get its way. Although many preventive measures were attempted, all proved unsuccessful, and in 1996, the radical Taliban seized power and imposed gender apartheid. Perhaps because the Afghan conflict was so complex, and because religion and Islamic tradition were at stake, international organizations failed to properly monitor the emerging crisis. While conflict brewed, international organizations showed a lack of persistence and relinquished their duty to uphold standards of human rights when challenged with "religious" or "cultur...
