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Rights Groups Say Afghani Women Still Discriminated Against

A women?s rights group is calling the attention of the international community to the fact that Afghani women are still being discriminated against, despite promises of gender equality after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Womankind Worldwide says that no significant change has been made in the lives of women in the country in the five years since Allied troops ousted the reigning extremist government, and that most women are being denied their basic rights.

Womankind Worldwide?s report states that although there have been some changes in the legal, civil and constitutional rights of women, there are still many challenges in their path and these challenges need to be addressed urgently. For example, 25% of the present Afghani parliament is made up of women, yet most of them fear intimidation and violence. The report urges the international community to protect those very women who are brave enough to protect women?s rights in their homeland.

57% of Afghani women marry before the country?s legal age of 16 and most of them ? believed to be between 60 ? 80% - are forced into marriage. Systematic discrimination and violence against women is still very widespread ? both on a community and household level. Domestic violence is rampant and many women try to end their lives to escape their miserable existence. The report also mentioned a sharp increase in the cases of self-immolation among local women since 2003.