Women's rights 'in decline' in Afghanistan

Women in Afghanistan are facing increasing violence almost eight years after the fall of the Taliban, a UN report showed today.

The report, issued by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, focuses on the “growing trend” of violence and sexual threats made against women in public life.

It reveals examples of targeted killings of professional women as well as a list of threats, discrimination, intimidation and harassment aimed at working women and their families.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “The limited space that opened up for Afghan women following the demise of the Taliban regime in 2001 is under sustained attack, not just by the Taliban themselves, but by deeply ingrained cultural practices and customs.

“Despite a number of significant advances in terms of the creation of new legislation and institutions, there is a chronic failure at all levels of government to advance the protection of women’s rights in Afghanistan,” the she added.

Ms Pillay said attacks on girls’ schools and female pupils threaten to have a “devastating long-term impact” on Afghan women getting involved in their society.

“There have been some encouraging incremental advances in the area of girls’ education in recent years, and it is extremely important to have women participating in the country’s political arena.

“But the Taliban and other conservative forces seem determined to take the country back to the Stone Age,” she added.