Grassroots efforts create greater safety for Afghan women

Read Kirk Semple's story about how women's shelters are taking hold in Afghanistan. Here's an excerpt from a local women's advocate:

“Simply put, this is a patriarchal society,” said Manizha Naderi, director of Women for Afghan Women, one of four organizations that run shelters in Afghanistan. “Women are the property of men.”

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Women’s shelters have been criticized as a foreign intrusion in Afghan society, where familial and community problems have traditionally been resolved through the mediation of tribal leaders and councils.