Since the beginning of time, women have had to rigorously fight for basic human rights. In the Western stratosphere, these human rights were achieved at the beginning of the 20th century, but in many Eastern countries the battle for women has only just begun, or worse yet has not even begun. Women in Afghanistan were subjected to atrocious circumstances, even though their religion, Islam, "demanded that men and women be equal before God" (Qazi). The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini offers a very in-depth view of the government policy of Afghanistan before and during the Taliban regime, and of the different situation of women in both eras. Based on the book and outside research, it is evident that the situation of women in Afghanistan has declined over time, due to cultural beliefs and the Taliban regime. Women in Afghanistan have not always been repressed by the government. Amir, the narrator of The Kite Runner, talks about a time when women were granted basic rights such as work, for example, his "mother taught at the university" (250 Hosseini). In one instance in the novel, a beggar describes to Amir how he and his mother "sat and talked after class" (249), which may not seem like a big deal, but it was a woman talking to another man who didn't it was her husband or her father, and under the Taliban this would have been subjected to severe punishment. Furthermore, women "were not obliged to wear the burqa in public" (Katz), and had complete freedom over what to wear and how to present themselves. Sanaubar was a woman who took full control of this freedom, as she had “bright green eyes and a mischievous face and […] [walked with a] suggestive gait” (8 Hosseini). Women were also granted schooling and the freedom to leave home in the middle of paper. the Taliban have been wiped out, many villages still do not recognize women's fundamental rights and freedoms due to their cultural beliefs. Until women's bigotry in the entire Afghan society is swept away, these cases of discrimination will continue and Afghan women's rights will remain hidden under the veils of their burqas. Works Cited DiManno, Rosie. “Pity for the women of the Taliban” By the way. November 12, 2001. March 13, 2006. .Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003. Katz, Nikki V. “Women under Taliban Control.” From. March 13, 2006. “Muslim Women's Perspective on the Status of Women in Afghanistan.” Afghanistan online. November 1996. March 13, 2006. .Qazi, Abdullah. "The situation of Afghan women". Afghanistan online. May 30, 2005. March 13, 2006. "Taliban treatment of women" Wikipedia. March 10, 2006. March 13 2006. .