U.S. humanitarian relief efforts have recently focused much of their efforts on affecting the livelihoods of Afghan women. For decades, these women were frequently victims of abuse, despite some successes by authorities in prosecuting cases of rape, forced marriage and domestic violence. Child marriage, the selling and buying of women to settle disputes, assault, and more than a dozen other acts of violence and abuse against women are a common norm in Afghan society. Around 87% of women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence. Incidents of violence against women remain largely underreported due to cultural constraints, social norms and religious beliefs. Due to widespread discrimination, fear of social stigma and threats to their lives, female victims do not continue the persecution of their attackers. Furthermore, the literacy rate for women is around 12%, while that for men is 43%. This low literacy rate is a direct result of the poor public education system in Afghanistan. Along with this low rate of education, female teachers are also limited. Ultimately, families worry about the safety of sending their daughters to school and face threats from the Taliban and resistance from some local elders. This gap in education for young girls has a direct impact on the female workforce. Women are not equipped to do simple jobs because they lack basic education and live in a society that is unwilling to educate them. Furthermore, the patriarchal nature of social and gender relations, deeply rooted in traditional communities, and the existence of a weak central state, limit women's ability to act as full citizens of a democratic nation. . In order to enable Afghan women to be considered a...... middle of paper...... 2014..Caprino, Kathy. “Why Women’s Oppression Is the Moral Dilemma of Our Time – Sheryl WuDunn Speaks Out.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, August 29, 2013. Web. May 6, 2014. .Kabeer, Naila. “Women’s economic empowerment and inclusive growth: labor markets and enterprise development.” UK Department for International Development, nd Web. May 6, 2014. .Nordland, Rod. “Despite educational progress, a host of woes in Afghan schools.” The New York Times. The New York Times, July 20, 2013. Web. May 06 2014. .