Monday 20, May 20, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Afghan Women Network (AWN) has strongly opposed the expected amendments in the violence against women act and has categorically announced not to endorse even a single change and reforms in the act by the House of Representatives and AWN believes that implementing the law further intensifies issues confronted by the women in the country.
At the meantime, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed grief trepidation over the expected amendments of the law after the act referred to the parliament for further discussions as it’s said that the lawmakers intended to amend the act. The decision undertaken by the House of Representatives for amendments of the women act has strongly worried Afghan Women Network. Commenting on the topic, (AWN) activist Mahboba Saraj told media that any sort of political reservations and dealings over humanitarian rights of the children and women could overshadow achievements of the previous decade. Violence against women act is another important national document after the constitution of Afghanistan which has been formulated to protect the basic rights of women and her status which God has granted her as a human. In the law, any kind of gender discrimination same as pre-mature marriages, selling sexual harassments, rape, beating and tortures have been declared as crimes against the women. Evaluating impacts of the expected amendments in the violence against women act, commissioner of Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) Suraya Subhrang told media that the amendment would cover a number of important issues pertaining the girls and women mainly premature marriages, bi-marriages, tortures and rights of women to education. The decision has also followed serious reaction of human Rights Watch. Talking on the matter, a UN human rights official said that the UN doesn’t support non-implementation of the law because existence of the act protects honor and dignity of the women in the country and any kind of reform in the act damage rights of the women in the society and should be prevented. Commenting on the legal amendments, parliamentarian Ms. Fawzia Koi expressed satisfaction over the legal amendments and said that serious of reforms were implemented in the act in joint cooperation of some other commissions and the house of representatives strongly believes that the law further support and shield humanitarian rights of the women in the country and added that the act is also in the house for further discussions. Tragic events of violence against the women recorded across the country during the previous year and the activist working for protection of women rights declare poverty, illiteracy, traditionalism and so-called social values as main factors behind the issue and elimination of the issue require joint support and harmony of all government and nongovernmental organs. However, article 22nd of the constitution of says that all nationals of the country constituting male and female have retained equal rights and in the article 54th it has obliged government of Afghanistan to undertaken all possible measures for combating any kind of discriminations against the women and prevent social injustices on the bases of gender, but still the women face atrocities in some cases due to so-called social values dominated in the country. Afghanistan successfully submitted its human rights reports to the UN and recently women access to the legal and judicial institutions have been increased and awareness level among the women has been intensified and now the women has retained potentials to consult legal or judicial organ and record her complain while previously the women had no rights to go out of the house premises. Media has also responsibility to broadcast such programs that could promote awareness level among the women regarding their human rights in the society. Violence against the women increase in the country at a time after government of Afghanistan approved violence against women act in 1388 in order to prevent cases of violence against the women in the country. However, ratification of the law by the national parliament yet to be approved, but the law has been implemented in the country on the bases of a presidential legislative decree.
