This is twenty first century and women in countries categorized as 'first word' enjoy full rights and freedom. They have earned this status by fighting hard for their rights for centuries. In third world countries, however, women are still deprived of their basic rights.

Afghanistan falls in the list of the countries where women are not only denied their rights but also are subjected to extreme forms of violence. The annoying point is that anguish of the Afghan women has gone increasing.

Article one of UN General Assembly resolution, 20 December, 1993 declares the term violence against women as, "Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

25 November was globally marked as International day for the elimination of violence against women. "On this International Day, I call on all governments to make good on their pledges to end all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world", marking the day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a released statement.

The day is of a great importance for women in Afghanistan. The more media covers stories of violence against women here, the more the efforts to eliminate violence against women will be supported.

The international day for elimination of violence against women, like all the previous years, was marked in Afghanistan by various national and international organizations working for human and women rights. Once again workshops, seminars and other gatherings were held in provinces and capital of Afghanistan for highlighting increasing violence against women.

Although such programs are deemed important to draw attention of government and public towards the sufferings of women, experts maintain such gatherings are no cure for the massive troubles faced by Afghan women.

For women, life cannot change until they have not the same rights as men in making decisions at family to national levels. Such a condition will never triumph in Afghanistan, unless democracy is strong and law and justice govern it.

The international day for elimination of violence against women is a day to hear the voices of thousands of Afghan women who suffer brutality, abuses, punishment and various other forms of violence just because of being a mother, a sister, a daughter and a wife.