Afghanistan joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8, with women's advocacy groups using the opportunity to shed greater light on the continued struggle of Afghan women to overcome historic mistreatment, ongoing injustices and institutionalized inequality.
According to Afghan civil society groups, women's involvement in politics and access to health services and education has actually decreased in recent times, despite the immense progress made overall since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. Meanwhile, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) reported a 15 percent increase in violence against women over the past year.
According to a recent report published by the Afghan Women's Network, over the past 13 years, female participation in politics and access to health and education improved significantly, but the problems have grown in recent months. "Based on the research that we have done, in the past 13 years, there have been good improvements in the areas of decision making in politics and access to services, but these problems have increased in recent months and is considered a serious challenge towards women," network member Sonia Aslami told TOLOnews.
In particular, violence against women has skyrocketed in recent months. The AIHRC has shared data indicating that in 2014, there were 4,873 incidents involving the violation of women's rights documented by the commission. According to AIHRC, the data broke down as follows: 1,468 physical violence incidents; 412 assault incidents; 1,482 verbal incidents; 1,024 incidents of poverty-related violence; and 487 other miscellaneous incidents.
According to the AIHRC, of the total 4,873 incidents, 98 percent of them occurred within the family environment, while the remaining 2 percent occurred on roads, in the work place, in educational intuitions and jails.
"In the recent months, we have witnessed a significant increase in the number of violent incidents against women," said Latifa Sultani, an officials of the Women's Section of the AIHRC. "Our demand of the national unity government, on this International Women's Day, is that it address women's problems in the areas of rule of law and governance."
In addition, female leaders have also highlighted harassment, of sexual and non-sexual nature, in work and education environments is a major obstacle to more women seeking education and employment. "One of the major problems faced by women is harassment; harassment in work place and other environments," MP Anar Kali Hunaryar said. "These are problems that have not been addressed."
Despite all the challenges they face, there are many Afghan women blazing new paths and disproving historic prejudices about the strength and capacities of women in Afghan society.
Ilaha is one such woman. She became a saleswoman in Kabul a few years ago, and now supports herself entirely. "It was my wish to be an active woman in society, and every women can do it," she told TOLOnews on Sunday. "I have been able to stand on my feet and every other women can do that as well."
The office of Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah released a statement on Sunday, marking International Women's Day, which said the problems facing women in Afghanistan have not decreased, but rather become more complex. The press release said the primary challenges women face involve security, safety, rights, governance, rule of law and regressive cultural customs.
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