JALAL FOUNDATION
An Afghan Women-led, Women-focused Organization
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KEEP THE EVAL AS IT IS!
NO TO REPEAL OR AMENDMENT BY PARLIAMENT!
The initial debates of the Parliament on the Elimination of Violence against Women Law (EVAL) provide a clear picture of the political ideologies that dominate our law making bodies and policy system. Clearly, we are ruled by people who have no respect for women’s rights and do not care about the lives and well-being of half of our country’s citizens. In their minds, women are non-entities who do not matter and whose fate lies solely in the hands of men.
The dynamics of the debates represent a preview of what we, Afghan women, are now facing. The grips of extremism are now blatantly showing force at the highest levels of decision making. They are opposing the very provisions of EVAL that are core to the protection of women and their rights. Clearly, they want to put us back to where we were during the Taliban times. It is open season once again on Afghan women’s oppression, gender based violence, and denial of women’s rights. These people will not stop until we lose every space that we gained during the past decade.
But we do not need to remain silent and helpless. Sisters and brothers, supporters of peace, democracy and human rights, we cannot afford to lose our hard fought gains. How many human rights activists and women leaders lost their lives during the past decade to defend the modest gains that we now have? Shall we allow their heroic sacrifices to go to waste by not doing anything while we still can?
More than ever, we need to bind together as one. Let us organize a mammoth campaign to oppose the butchering of women’s rights in the halls of the Parliament. Everyone can do something, and every little effort counts:
- Organize a dialogue with your Parliamentary representatives. They need to hear your resistance to the adverse positions being taken by them in relation to the provisions of the EVAL. They are in Parliament not to represent their own concerns but to be the voice of the people. They owe it to us to make our voice heard in the debate on policies that are crucial to our lives.
- Put down your statements in writing and send them through all possible channels – to the Parliamentarians, media, social networks, international community, donors, regional bodies, community leaders, institutions, etc. Let your voices be circulated as widely as possible in the loudest and most compelling way!
- Organize non-violent protests. Wear violet ribbons on your sleeves as a sign of resistance to any amendment or repeal of the EVAL. Initiate coordinated noise barrage at specific times of the day. Pass text messages supporting a “No Repeal, No Amendment” campaign for EVAL.
- Identify the Parliamentarians and politicians that espouse pro-extremist positions and peacefully but forcefully campaign against them in every possible way.
- Make women’s rights an election issue. List down the names of politicians and incumbent Parliamentarians who trample upon women’s rights and do not represent our voice, then campaign against them when they run for the upcoming election. Our vote is our power and we need to use it intelligently now, more than ever.
- Never stop! This law is a must to the protection of Afghan women’s rights and well being. Put it on top of your priority by constantly speaking about its importance and merit.
The EVAW Law which they now call EVAL is never anti-Islamic. It has passed the legal scrutiny of national and international experts on Islam and Shariah. It also underwent nearly five years of debate and consensus building following democratic principles.
Let us not allow uneducated minds to dictate what is Shariah and Islamic in this part of the world. We owe it to our country and our people to have enlightened views and to resist the misuse of Islam to foment oppression and tyranny. Let us claim back our future by doing what we can do right now! Oppose the repeal and amendment of the EVAL!!!!
