Afghan women still living in fear

As human rights day (December 10) approaches, the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has joined forces with local authorities and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) to urge the Afghan people to promote the rights of women, ReliefWeb reported Tuesday, citing UNAMA.

Today, many women in Afghanistan and throughout the world live in fear of violence, both in the private and public sphere.

Despite progress over the past six years, violence against Afghan women is widespread.

“Scores of women and girls have been murdered this year by members of their own families and countless others have been beaten or otherwise abused. Many of the victims continue to suffer in silence. This violence is unacceptable regardless of whether it is perpetrated by family or strangers, in the public sphere or behind closed doors, in times of peace or conflict,” said Marguerite Roy, Head of UNAMA’s regional office in Mazar-e-Sharif.

“While the United Nations is playing a vital role in helping to empower Afghan women and build the capacity of Afghanistan’s institutions to support victims, we must recognize that we all have a part to play,” she added. “Within our own families, amongst our friends and in the wider community we must send a strong message that violence against women must end.”

An international campaign to combat violence against women has also been launched by the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

For the full article, click here.

For more on UNIFEM’s campaign, click here.