Violence, discrimination and alienation against women appear to get stronger in Afghanistan. The cases of torture and rape in the country are widespread and many even go under-reported, often not concerned even by the relevant organizations. This leads us to the story of only 6 years old innocent girl who has been raped in Takhar province. The report is more shocking than today's suicide blasts and killings or other shocking stories.
The report says that a 6-year old girl who was raped by some men in Takhar province was not alone, but with two other small girls and a woman. While talking to media she was crying and said, "The violence against women and small children like me is just accelerating and here we are the clear examples.
Mostly it happens with the families like me who has no one to stand by and ask for justice. Government's silence in such matters is an indicator of self-involvement in these cases. I, the citizen of this country, belonging to a poor-class family, would like to helplessly request from the Karzai government to please bring such culprits into justice so that others don't become the victims."
According to a field research conducted last year by Norah Niland, the United Nations human rights representative in Afghanistan, "There is no boundaries for rape in Afghanistan, crossing all communities and social groups with little to no consequence for perpetrators."
Silence of the government against violence and discriminations targeting girls in Afghan society further strengthens the criminals and warlords in the region and this will obviously strengthen the culprits to misuse the situation. Today the women and girls are not even secure at their homes, in their villages and in detention facilities because for the criminals and warlords, the law is like a handy tool in their hands as we clearly observe the consequences on the ground realities.
What is so worst here is that the victims of rape often find themselves prosecuted for adultery; a crime that is punishable by jail. The culprit is not even threatened by any sort of punishment for a non-humanitarian act. This provokes the criminal networks to continue making the women suffer in many other ways.
On the other hand, majority of women in the region are illiterate. A very less number of women can read and write while on the other hand, insurgents often destroy girl's schools to stop them from getting education. It is really sad to note that 57% of girls are married under age and the country holds the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world with nearly 25,000 deaths every year which is considered to be advertent genocide.
Under the Afghan constitution, the citizens of Afghanistan whether men or women have equal rights, opportunities and duties before the law. These words should not be meaningless in practice but rather the law for both men and women must be respected.
Finally, Afghanistan is a war-torn country. Women's rights need to be given proper attention and there must be a proper plan to end discrimination against them. The war against discrimination of women in Afghanistan is a war we must not lose. It is more than enough for the Afghan women to wait for appropriate position in the country.