The floor to Afghan women!

The message brought forward by four women’s rights activists and leaders from Afghanistan during their solidarity roundtable session was:

 'Progress yes, but we still need your support'

I was happily surprised by the overall positive note the women shared about the achievements and advancement of women’s rights in Afghanistan. I might even have been listening ‘’live’’ to the next Afghanistan president, Fawzia Koofi, a female politician running for office in 2014. She told about the different positions  Afghan women nowadays  are claiming more and more in their society. Today they can be, and are, journalist, lawyers, politicians and active participants in the public sphere and the media.  And their rights are increasingly becoming acknowledged, at least in legislative ways. The Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW) law from 2009 identifies issues that were considered taboos before, now as crimes. The law criminalizes the physical beating and rape of women, forced marriage, the practice of baad, forced self-burning and other forms of violence against women. According to Maria Bashir, the chief prosecutor of Herat province,  the law is currently implemented in the police force in the form of trainings and sensitising police officers on these issues. Already many cases under this law have been referred to court and there have been convictions. Yet from the latter just a few.  She admitted that this political and legislative process is going slowly but that there is positive change for women.  

Unfortunately there is also a negative side and that is the gap between policy and practice and the challenges that lie ahead. Manizha Naderi, executive director of Women for Afghan Women, spoke of the beatings, harassment, torture and other forms of violence against women that are still widespread. Throughout the country she runs shelters for women victims and informs them and their families about their rights. According to her the existence  of the EVAW law is to be applauded but it is still very far from being truly and nationwide implemented and enforced. This is only one of the many challenges the government and  the women’s movement face today.  For all women voiced their concerns about what is troubling them deeply: the U.S. peace negotiations with the Taliban. They fear that if the Taliban will play any role whatsoever in power  or a new government, all the progress that has been made with regard to their rights will be for nothing. There is a firm belief that the Taliban will easily throw away and trample women’s rights like they did before. And then all of the bloodshed and struggles of their sisters have been in vain.

So yes, progress has been made but if these women want to continue with the advancement and realization of their rights they need our support; from the international community, from the donors and from the human rights and women’s rights defenders and activists!

Stephanie Dauphi!n