A/HRC/31/46
documented 838 alleged cases of violence against women across Afghanistan, including 98
murders, 46 cases of forced immolation, 24 “honour” killings, 41 rapes, 398 cases of
battery and laceration, 73 forced marriages and 27 underage marriages. Out of the total
number of documented cases, 145 victims were minors. UNAMA/OHCHR reiterated the
obligations under international law for relevant authorities to take the actions necessary to
prevent, protect against and respond to violence against women, whether perpetrated by
private or public actors.
56.
On 16 June, at the twenty-ninth session of the Human Rights Council, the Special
Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences briefed the Council on
her mission to Afghanistan in November 2014. While acknowledging progress in
addressing the situation of women and girls, she noted that the majority of Afghan women
remained marginalized, discriminated against and at high risk of being subjected to
violence.
57.
In 2015, two cases in particular sparked widespread national and international public
condemnation: the murder of a young woman by a mob in Kabul city on 19 March over
false allegations that she had burnt a copy of the Quran; and the stoning to death of a
woman on 25 October in Ghor province as a punishment by anti-Government elements for
alleged adultery. Both incidents were stark reminders of the nature of the brutality faced by
women in Afghanistan.
58.
On 19 April, UNAMA/OHCHR released a report entitled “Justice through the Eyes
of Afghan Women: Cases of Violence against Women Addressed through Mediation and
Court Adjudication”, which documented factors enabling and hindering women’s access to
justice in cases of violence from the perspective of women themselves. The report was
based on interviews with 110 women and girl victims of violence in 18 of Afghanistan’s 34
provinces between August 2014 and February 2015. It revealed the significant use of
mediation rather than court adjudication by women to obtain justice and remedies. It
highlighted that the use of mediation was influenced by several factors, including perceived
deficiencies in the criminal justice system in processing women’s claims, allegations of
corruption, abuse of power and lack of professionalism. UNAMA/OHCHR findings
indicated that rather than seeking the imposition of criminal sanctions, the majority of
women interviewed were primarily concerned with obtaining civil redress, such as divorce,
fair alimony and custody settlements, or living in a violence-free environment. The report
called for the adoption of legal, institutional and policy reforms to improve women’s access
to justice in cases of violence.
59.
UNAMA/OHCHR continued to conduct activities to raise public awareness of legal
guarantees protecting survivors of violence. For example, it held International Women’s
Day events throughout Afghanistan from 1 to 11 March, including in the cities of
Asadabad, Bamyan, Herat, Jalalabad, Kabul, Kandahar, Kunduz, Maidan Shahr, Mazar,
Qala-e-Naw and Sharana.
60.
UNAMA/OHCHR trained at least 500 men and women, including ulema councils,
legal experts, tribal elders, religious scholars, law enforcement and judicial officials, nongovernmental organizations, civil society actors and women survivors of violence, on
women’s rights under the international and domestic legal framework, including sharia law.
For example, UNAMA/OHCHR delivered training on human rights and women’s rights to
at least 245 women police officers, including members of policewomen councils, and
family response units deployed in Bamyan, Daikundi and Paktya provinces.
61.
On 30 June, President Ghani launched the first national action plan on Security
Council resolution 1325 (2000), reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the
implementation of the women and peace and security agenda in Afghanistan. The national
action plan enshrines the Government’s pledges for strategic interventions towards
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