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Amnesty blamed state institutions for their “systematic failure” to protect women from abuse.
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LONDON, May 31, 2005 (IslamOnline.net
& News Agencies) – Women are raped, murdered and abused with
impunity all over Afghanistan despite the overthrow of the Taliban
that was supposed to have ushered in a new era of women rights,
Amnesty International said on Monday, May 30.
"Hundreds of women and girls
continue to suffer abuse at the hands of their husbands, fathers,
brothers, armed individuals, parallel justice systems, and
institutions of the state itself such as the police and the justice
system," said the London-based rights group on its Web site.
“Violence against women and girls
in Afghanistan is pervasive,” it said.
“Throughout the country, few women
are exempt from violence or safe from the threat of it.”
Amnesty added that entrenched feudal
customs still meant Afghan men often treated women as chattels who
could be abused at will without any fear of official retribution.
“Husbands, brothers and fathers
remain the main perpetrators of violence in the home but the social
control and the power that they exercise is reinforced by both state
authorities and informal justice systems,” the report said.
Three and a half years ago, US-led
forces invaded the country and toppled the ruling Taliban, which was
accused of violating women rights.
Though Washington still keeps at
least 18,000 troops on the ground, the country remains a dangerous
place, particularly in remote areas where the government has less
authority than tribal elders and regional warlords.
Government Failure
The report blamed state institutions
for their “systematic failure” to protect women from abuse and
violence within and outside families.
Amnesty further noted that
investigations by the authorities into complaints of violent attacks,
rape, murders or suicide of women are neither routine nor systematic,
and few result in prosecutions.
"We stress that the Afghan
authorities have a duty to refrain from committing violations of human
rights and to protect women from violence committed not only by agents
of the state but also by private individuals and groups.
"Reform of the criminal justice
system is integral to the protection of all Afghan women and it is the
responsibility of the state to provide legal safeguards."
The watchdog also urged the Afghan
government to actively promote women human rights and start a process
of education to transform customs that treated women as an underclass.
Disappointment
The report's author, Nazia Hussein,
who traveled all over the country conducting interviews, told Reuters
there was a deep sense of disappointment that matters had not improved
since the ouster of the Taliban in late 2001.
“A lot of women told us they had
hoped things would change rapidly for the better after the overthrow
of the Taliban, so there is a sense of disappointment,” she said.
“But on education, employment and
security there is a feeling that generally things have not improved
... and in some cases have got worse," she added.
Attempts to talk to men -- including
government officials -- revealed at best verbal concern but no action
and at worst the attitude that it was not a problem.
“It is about tribes and codes of
conduct based on age-old customs, not religion,” Hussein added.
“It is really, really important
that this issue is flagged up -- especially in terms of donor
states.”
Click to read the full
text of the report
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