Researchers Present New Findings on Attitudes Toward Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
Researchers in the Human Security Lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a research collective focused on the intersection of global security and human well-being, are slated to publish an article in PLOS One detailing new survey findings from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The National Science Foundation-funded study was carried out by UMass Amherst Professors Charli Carpenter, Kevin Young, and Bernhard Leidner with UMass DACSS alumna, Kristina Becvar and a team of undergraduate researchers including Camryn Hughes, Ruya Hazayen, Astrid Paz, Tegan Oliver, Alexandra Protter, Sarah Sirkkisson, and Jayden Whittaker.
With the help of global survey firm RIWI, the research team conducted a cross-sectional survey of over 3,000 Afghan internet users between March 16 and June 16, 2022. The results found significant support for women’s rights at 66 percent. These findings highlight a significant gap between public attitude and government policy toward human rights in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Fathers who report having a daughter as their eldest child are particularly likely to strongly support women’s rights, compared to mothers and / or fathers of eldest sons. However the researchers discovered this effect is strongest for those fathers who answered this question about the gender of their child before answering on women’s rights. In short, when a father is primed to think about his eldest daughter, support for “achieving human rights for women” as a top priority enjoys a staggering 78 percent support.
This research highlights the importance of properly framing the issue of women’s rights and adapting ongoing campaigns to better reflect the priorities of Afghans. The research have important implications for how global human rights organizations and local civil society organizations can effectively advocate for women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Professor Carpenter will present the findings at the International Studies Association Annual Conference this week in San Francisco, CA, and the article is expected out in PLOS One Later this year.