A recent report by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) says the number of women self-immolation in Northern Afghanistan has increased this year. With the improving governance reach out, presence of civil society and grass-rooted rights activism, the ground effects are in contrary.

Violence against women continues to be a common affair throughout the country. The fact that international intervention of the past decade has helped a lot in improving the situation, but the plight of Afghan women still persists with an increasing fear and serious concern that all the achievements would be in vain if the Government in Kabul fail to pay attention to a social phenomenon that puts the entire claim of so-called national pride and honor to shame.

According to AIHRC, over 20 girls and women have burnt themselves since March this year. At least 12 cases of child rape have been reported. Some media activists have started a campaign to raise awareness on child sexual abuse. The fact is that the Government has not only failed to improve the situation, but it seems these grave issues are not a priority at all. The common violence against women and child rape shows lowest of social standard and reality, while we are not tired of arrogant chest-thumping in national emotional hyperbole.

According to Government statistic, more than 50 percent of girls are married before their legal age. It also says that 99 percent of family violence cases go unreported. The Government needs to put these issues on high national priority. Though we have other grave challenges of security threats, governance improvement and on a path of self-reliability, violence against women and child sex abuse should be a barometer of the ideality of our so-called religious and traditional values vis-à-vis social realities.

The Government is needed to implement laws about domestic violence and take effective steps to not only end violence against women but also create awareness among masses in this regard with the help of religious scholars, clerics and media. People from all walks of life are needed to play their due responsibility to end our contradiction with ideological values and social reality.