Afghanistan - 87 Percent of Women Face Acts Of Violence

The Minister of Women's Affairs Dilbar Nazari said on Monday that 87 percent of the women in the country somehow face instances of violence.

"Deprivation has caused a lot of threats for women across the country, we have witnessed bitter events including poisoning, throwing acid on girls, sexual abuse, immolation of woman and young girls, stoning and rape allegations and accusations of them running away from home," said Nazari.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Mohaqeq has reaffirmed government's commitment to combating the trend.

"We must all call on our families, civil society, government institutions, activists and all to take initiatives and implement it," said the CEO's first deputy Mohammad Khan, while referring to the law preventing violence against women.

"When you give someone an opportunity, he demonstrates his ability, so I favor women show their abilities in all sectors and that they are respected and their rights are given to them," said Mohaqeq.

Both officials said that alongside men, women have equal rights.

In addition to this, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has said that lessons pertaining to the protection of human rights must be taught at schools.

Addressing a gathering marking the end of 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women, Nazari talked about events of violence which have happened to women in the country and said almost 50 percent of women in Afghanistan deal with teenage marriages which is a serious issue.

"We are edging to the end of the campaign at a time that there are women who lose their lives because of a lack of medicine and food at hospitals," said AIHRC commissioner Qadria Yazdanparast.

This comes after the Afghanistan Attorney General's Office (AGO) recently announced that it had registered around 3,000 cases of violence against women in the country this year.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women started on November 25 and ended on Saturday.

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a campaign aimed at galvanizing action to end violence against women and girls around the world.

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