Submitted by crinadmin on
[31 October 2006] - Women and girls in Afghanistan have been woefully let down and left to face ever increasing levels of violence. This is the central message of a new report, Taking Stock: Afghan Women and Girls Five Years On produced by WOMANKIND Worldwide to be launched on 31st October, the sixth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. WOMANKIND Worldwide is marking the anniversary with a special event at the UK House of Commons showing exclusive footage filmed only three weeks ago in Afghanistan of women speaking about their lives five years after the fall of the Taliban. ‘The International Community needs do much more to protect and empower the women and girls of Afghanistan. Unless the rights that women and girls in Afghanistan have on paper are made reality it cannot be said that the status of Afghan women has changed significantly in the last five years’. says Maggie Baxter, Chief Executive of WOMANKIND Worldwide. In 2001, a window of opportunity opened for the international community to turn Afghanistan around and enable foundations to be laid for a lasting peace in this country which had endured nearly a quarter century of violent conflict. Taking Stock: Afghan Women and Girls Five Years On draws together a wide range of research and anecdotal evidence collected from national and international sources. The film brings alive the disturbing facts and figures in the report. This groundbreaking documentary provides a voice to women from all walks of life, as they tell their stories of discrimination, violence and fear. “It is imperative that the media, donor governments, international organisations and the Afghan government acknowledge the lack of progress in the domain of women’s rights and immediately take action in key areas of education, the legal system, security services, healthcare, and livelihoods to transform paper rights to rights in practice. Let us not forget the women of Afghanistan.” continues Maggie Baxter. Further information
pdf: http://www.un-instraw.org/revista/hypermail/alltickers/fr/att-0801/Afgha...