A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Houssenni documents the lives of two Afghani women as they face a landscape dominated by discrimination and riddled with adversity. Prior to the great cultural and political upheaval that was the Aghanistam civil war and subsequent arrival of the Taliban, women enjoyed many freedoms in society similar to those found in western society today. Women were able to walk unescorted down the streets of Kabul, dress freely, wear makeup, and even smoke. In addition, "50% of the students and 60% of the teachers at Kabul University were women, and 70% of school teachers, 50% of civilian government workers, 40% of doctors in Kabul were women." (Feminist Majority Foundation) as soon as the militaristic Taliban came into power however, …show more content…
A system of gender apartheid was instituted. The progress made by women was stopped in its tracks. Advancement for young girls became nearly impossible. Many literary critics have drawn comparisons between the themes presented in A Thousand Splendid Suns to an activist movement called The Girl Effect. The movement aims to "leverage the unique potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves, their families, their communities, their countries and the world by making hem visible and changing their social and economic dynamics by providing them with specific, powerful and relevant resources." Although they come from very different backgrounds and circumstances, Mariam and Laila both come together to serve as perfect epitomizations of what the Girl Effect stands for, and what effect it can have on society as a whole. In the aftermath of the Taliban's arrival in 1996 women were stripped of their most basic rights. In addition to restrictions placed on schooling and employment,