KUNAR - An event to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women has been held in Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

Press Release by the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women

The local Department of Women’s Affairs in Asad Abad city organized the event.

“Around 200 participants including women, officials, civil society members, the Provincial Reconstruction Team, the provincial council, tribal elders, religious scholars and school students participated in a gathering in Asad Abad City, the capital of Kunar province to celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women,” said Marhaba Karimi, the Director of Women’s Affairs of Kunar province.

On 11 November a major campaign started in several districts of Kunar province with up to 30 to 60 women participated in each of the gatherings held in the districts.

Ms Tawraj, a female member of the Kunar provincial council and one of the participants said that “during the last four to five years, we launched several awareness campaigns on women’s rights in different parts of Kunar province.”

“All these campaigns have been playing a vital role in the decrease of the number of cases of violence against women,” she added.

Wagma Safay, the Head of the Women’s section of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in the Eastern Region praised the role of the prosecutor’s office of Kunar in providing full support to the Commission and Department of Women’s Affairs in protecting women’s rights and eliminating violence against women.

“So far, we are not satisfied with the work of the court and police of Kunar towards the protection of women’s rights and elimination of violence against women. We would like to highly encourage the court and police of Kunar to demonstrate their ability to support women activists, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and Women’s Department to ensure the women rights,” added Wagma.

During the campaign, many women from Kunar actively participated in several media round tables and held interviews.

In Nangarhar province, the Human Rights Unit of the Eastern Regional Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan organized several round tables Nangarhar’s radio and television on “Threats to Women in Public Life” and “Rape and Sexual Violence”, with the participation of Human Rights Commission staff members, female activists, civil society representatives, elders and scholars.

In Laghman province, the Department of Women’s Affairs organized a gathering in Alingar district where a number of cases of violence against women have taken place.

Tribal elders and the district governor of Alingar signed an agreement to play a vital role in preventing violence against women.

By Shafiqullah Waak, UNAMA