Stop Violence Against Women
A project of The Advocates for Human Rights
Domestic Violence
General Information Best Practices Law and Policy Ongoing Developments
Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking Overview Training and Advocacy Ongoing Developments Sex Trafficking and Safe Harbor Resource Pack
Sexual Harassment
General Information Training and Advocacy Law and Policy Ongoing Developments
Sexual Assault
General Information Advocacy and Training Law and Policy Ongoing Developments
Other Forms of Violence Against Women
Crimes Committed in the Name of "Honor" Dowry-Related Violence Female Environmental Refugees Female Genital Mutilation Femicide Forced and Early Marriage Forced/Coerced Sterilization Gender-Based Asylum Harmful Practices Indigenous Women Maltreatment of Widows Son Preference Violence Against LGBT Women Violence Against the Girl Child Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS Women and Armed Conflict Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Russian Site
  1. Home
  2. What's New

Afghanistan: Shelters Saving Women from Abusive Ma

Friday, March 13, 2009
In an article published 2 March 2009, the New York Times said that although domestic violence remains a problem in Afghanistan, things have improved for women since the Taliban was ousted in 2001. The new Constitution enshrines some women’s rights and the new government contains a Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA). Beginning in 2003, four international women’s rights groups began building shelters for women and girls fleeing abusive marriages and families. Three of these organizations are:  Women for Afghan Women (WAW), Afghan Women Skills Development Center (AWSDC) and Medica Mondiale.

Before they had shelters to escape to, women and girls suffering from domestic violence had nowhere to turn. Under religious and tribal traditions, a wife is considered the property of her husband. If she went to the police, she was jailed or returned to her husband. If outsiders became involved, the woman and her husband went through mediation or counseling, but women’s rights advocates argue that they usually favored the husband. Even if she went to her own relatives for help, they usually returned her to her husband because the family’s honor was at stake. Without any hope of escaping their situations, victims remained silent about their abuse and many attempted suicide.

Now, however, there are the shelters. Although the focus is still on maintaining the marriage if possible, shelters also have legal advocates to help victims file for divorce in family court when the family situation has deteriorated to the point that the marriage cannot be saved. If the abuse warrants it, they may also file charges against the husband or relatives in criminal court. Women’s advocates say the Afghani government is recognizing these problems, too, because courts are fairer to women and girls, and the national police created a special family unit.

For the full text of this article, please click here.

Compiled from: Kirk Semple, New York Times, Afghan Women Slowly Gaining Protection from Abuse (2 March 2009).

For More Information:

Please see the Afghanistan, Domestic Violence and Forced and Early Marriage sections of this site, as well as these previous What’s New articles: Human Rights Struggle Continues for Women in Afghanistan (13 March 2009), Afghanistan: Violence Against Women Primary Database (13 May 2008) and Increases in Violence Against Women in Afghanistan (1 May 2008).

lg
md
sm