KABUL - Some women who have escaped from homes are living in residences of tribal elders or police women in central Uruzgan province due to a lack of safe homes.
Balanasta, 17, is one of the women living at such a home in Tirinkot, the provincial capital. She told Pajhwok Afghan News her fiancé, a policeman, was killed four years back.
After the death of her fiancé, she was told to marry her brother-in-law but she refused and escaped to Tirinkot.“My brother threatened me with death. I was frightened and came to Tirinkot.”
For the past one week, the girl has been living in provincial capital. She has spent four nights at policewoman’s house and two at the house of a tribal elder.
Currently without shelter, Balanastiis still afraid her relatives may kill her even in Tirinkot. She said judicial authorities had been informed of her plight, but no one has helped her yet.
The girl deplores she has knocked at many doors in quest of shelter but in vain. A resident of Chora district, she has relatives in Tirinkot but she could not go to their homes as they may inform her family members.
Abdul Ahad Bahai, head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) for Uruzgan, said they were aware that Balanastithat had no place to live.
Due to the non-existence of safe homesin the city, he argued, Balanastihad no shelter. “She stayed two nights at my house as well,” the AIHRC official said, adding the issue had been discussed with government officials.
She said the problem, which had been repeatedly shared with Provincial Council members, remained unresolved.
District Prosecutor Qazi Abdul Razzaq confirmed a woman named Balnashtihad filed a petition some days back. He added security officials had been tasked with summoning the accused, who were yet to be presented.
The case is currently under investigation, but worried that she may be harmed until the issue is settled.
Women Affairs Director Najiba Mehrzadcalled the non-existence of safe homes a major issue. She said women fleeing their homes due to violence had no place to live in.
She said the problem had been discussed with the authorities concerned at a string of meetings. The ministry has also been informed.
Governor Asadullah Saeed acknowledged there was no safe home in Uruzgan and women facing violence lived in public residences.
He said the subject had been discussed with different officials and a strategy would be evolved soon to resolve the problem. (Pajhwok)