Women

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo, spoke to members of the media at a Kabul press conference, detailing her assessment of the situation of Afghan women following a weeklong investigative trip to the country.

Artists as well as normal participants of the festival all celebrated the cultural exchange, and many complained that not enough has been done to promote arts and culture in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban.

New Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signaled a new day for women in Afghanistan during his inauguration speech with a simple but emotional thank you to his wife for her support and a promise that she will have influence in his presidency.

President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai has said that the first female judge will be appointed in the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, which will mark the first such appointment in the history of Afghanistan.

Armanshahr Foundation and Roya Film House cordially invite you for three days to the ancient Citadel of Herat for the 2nd Herat International Women’s Film Festival.*

Class dismissed at Kandahar Institute of Modern Studies, a rare place of learning for girls, as military withdrawal affects civilian projects

In Afghanistan, Within and Without the State has been working to build the capacity of civil society and to promote the participation of women, youth and other marginalized groups in the peace process.

President Ghani’s recognition of sexual harassment in Afghanistan as ‘shocking’ is spot-on. The Afghan government should promptly enact a law against sexual harassment and ensure that every government institution develops and implements an anti-sexual harassment policy.

In July, Arundhati Roy provoked outrage from many quarters by stating that the generally accepted image of Mahatma Gandhi was a lie. Speaking at the University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, she also called for institutions bearing his name to be renamed.

This report by Mounira Charrad was presented at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Division for Social Policy and Development Expert Group Meeting, New York, 15 – 17 May 2012