HERAT - The government should establish a special court to deal with cases of violence against women, especially cases of domestic violence, civil society representatives and women’s rights activists recommended at the conclusion of a four-day, UN-backed seminar in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat.

Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the seminar was set up to discuss ways to improve women’s access to justice in line with Afghanistan’s Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) legislation, which criminalizes 22 acts of violence against women, including forced marriage, domestic violence, trafficking and forced self-immolation.

Several dozen people, including civil society representatives, women’s rights activists and government officials, discussed a wide range of issues related to the EVAW law at the seminar, and formed a set of recommendations, including the call to establish a special court.

“For tackling the cases of violence against women and increasing people’s trust in the Afghan justice system, it is important to establish a special provincial court that only focuses on cases of domestic violence,” said Khalil Parsa, the head of the Herat Civil Society Network.

In addition to recommending the setup of a special court, participants highlighted the need for increased collaboration among government and non-government entities to enhance the ability of women victims of violence to seek recourse to appropriate justice mechanism.

UNAMA released a report in April this year that focused on Afghan women’s access to justice mechanisms. The report identified the challenges remaining in eliminating violence against women in the country.  Notably, the report recommended establishing divisions within family and city courts across the country for addressing cases of violence against women.