Achievements

2011 ( per cent)

2014 (per cent)

Improvement over a span of three years

(per cent increase)

Female employees in governmental/state institutions

21

27

6

Participation of women at decision making level

9

10

1

In security sector

1

1

0

In health sector

24

28

4

J ustice and judicial sector

9

14

5

Students in schools

39

41

2

Teachers in schools

30

31

1

Learners of literacy over 10 years

22

32

10

Students of governmental universities

19

20

1

Students of private universities

15

21

6

Professors/teachers in public universities

15

14

-1 (decrease)

Professors/teachers in private universities

7

8

1

Presence of women in private sector

16

22

6

Recommendation #23: (A) To establish measures, as a priority, to effectively combat impunity and comply with its due diligence obligation to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish violence perpetrated against women by State and non-State actors

23.Response: The MoI is obliged — based on Article 13 of the EVAW Law — to adopt preventive and supportive measures to prevent violence against women. The MoI, in 34 provincial chief of police officers, through the human rights units of the General Directorate of Human Rights, and also in 17 districts of Kabul through the family response units (FRUs), follows violence against women cases and refers them to the Prosecutor Office for adjudication.

24.The follow up and figures for cases of violence against women during 2013-2014 are as follows:

A.Cases of violence against women in 2013

25.There were 721 cases of violence against women registered in 2013, comprising of 207 cases of murder, 48 cases of elopement from home, 15 dead bodies found, 78 suicides, 154 cases of beating, 41 cases of injury, 7 cases of disappearance, 72 cases of domestic violence, 20 cases of adultery, 5 cases of death threats, 5 cases of poisoning, 16 rapes, 12 kidnapping, 6 forced marriage, 4 self-immolation, 6 divorce, and 3 cases of failure to pay alimony (Nafaqa). Total 395 cases are under inspection by the police, 159 are under detection, 133 cases were referred to the prosecutor, and 33 cases were withdrawn.

B.Cases of violence against women in 2014

26.There were 717 cases of violence against women registered in 2014, comprising, 201 murder, 5 kidnapping, 2 rapes, 4 cases of adultery, 8 harassment, 5 forced marriages, 23 rape cases, 1 case of eating opium, 20 cases of threats to kill, 1 case of telephone threat by police, 3 cases of acid attack, 1 case of suicide, 2 cases of family dispute, 30 cases of suicide by hanging, 38 cases of domestic violence, 10 cases of self-immolation, 47 suicides, 23 cases of dead bodies being found, 2 cases of kidnapping, 3 cases of failure to pay the alimony (Nafaqa), 21 cases of adultery, 201 murders, 2 cases of attempt to rape, 3 cases of attempt of adultery, 2 cases of disappearance, 183 cases of beating, 55 cases of injury, 3 cases of eating toxic substances, 2 cases of trafficking, 1 case of cutting nose and ears, and 1 case of cutting of the sexual organs of the wife by husband. Of those, 180 cases are under the inspection of police, 208 cases under detection of police, and 180 cases were referred for prosecution. Two cases were settled by elders, 3 cases were referred to the MoWA and 4 cases were referred to the legal Department of Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

C.Cases of violence against women in 2015

27.There have been 301 cases of violence against women to date in 2015 (1 January to 3 June), comprising, 8 cases of kidnapping, 7 cases of rape, 2 cases of humiliation and degradation, 13 cases of death threats, 1 acid attack, 12 cases of hanging, 3 cases of family violence, 2 cases of self-immolation, 32 suicide, 4 cases of dead bodies being found, 2 cases of disappearance, 78 cases of beating, 28 cases of injury, 5 forced marriages, 1 case of elopement, 5 cases of adultery, 79 cases of murder, 1 attempt to murder, 1 case of harassment, 1 case accusing of rape, 1 case of selling, 2 cases of poisoning, 2 cases of ‘selling and buying women’, and 1 death threat. Of these, 172 are under the inspection, 76 cases are under detection of police, and 53 cases were referred for prosecution.

Measures and steps for prosecution of perpetrators of violence against women

28.The Attorney General’s Department of elimination of Violence against Women has taken the following actions:

29.Response: Commission on combating Violence against Women to prosecute perpetrators of violence against women was established in 2010 as an attached body to the Attorney General Office (AGO). In 2011, under AGO, a special prosecutor office on combating violence against Women was established, which has been operational to prosecute the cases. The prosecutors work in (24) provinces.

30.Adjudication of cases of violence against women during 2013 to 2014 in the courts of Afghanistan as follows:

•In 2013, there were 199 cases adjudicated in the primary court, and 99 cases in appellate courts of Kabul province.

•In 2014, there were 182 cases adjudicated in primary courts, and 69 cases in appellate courts of Kabul.

•Based on figures for 2013 to mid-2015 (1st quarter), a total of 927 cases of violence against women were adjudicated and handled in courts of the country:

•2013: 363 cases

•2014: 450 cases

•2015 (1st quarter): 112 cases

Recommendation #23 (B): To ensure the proper implementation of the Law on the Elimination of Violence against Women by, for example, providing systematic training on that law for all police officers working in family response units, issuing guidelines to the courts on the application of the Law on the Elimination of Violence against Women, including its mandatory application in conjunction with other relevant national legislation; and developing a strategy to ensure the recruitment and retention of female police officers

31.Response: The Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoI), based on its duty and legal obligation to hire women police officers, formulated and disseminated a strategy in 2013. In addition, an action plan was prepared, which is followed by all departments of the national police.

Recommendation #23 (B): Specific guidelines for implementation of the EVAW Law

32.Response: The rules of the EVAW Law are defined and transparent to avoid any ambiguity with regard to its interpretation. Therefore, there has been no need for the preparation of guidelines in the courts. But instead, in-service training courses were conducted for judges to develop their capacities.

Recommendation #23 (C): To ensure that shelters for women victims of violence are properly resourced and that the quality of services offered is regularly monitored; increase the number of shelters so as to strengthen support services for victims, such as counselling and rehabilitation services, both medical and psychological; and develop a strategy to ensure their financial support in the framework of the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework

33.Response: In 2013 and 2014, the MoWA carried out activities with regard to improvement in the quality and quantity of support centres at the national level. A regulation is being prepared for the regulation of support centres. Total 27 established support centres are regularly supervised by MoWA. Total 4,200 women benefitted from supporting centres during 2013-14. In addition, standard guidelines and procedures have been developed for efficient functioning of the centres. For instance, separate committees for coordination, psychological health, security, literacy, and monthly supervision and control on peace houses have been established. Meanwhile, a trust fund has been established to support the women in dire need. The safe houses are beyond the structure of the state/government and are funded by donor agencies. While the issue of sustainability and continuation of the support centres/safe houses is a central concern, there has not been any step with regard to the development of a strategy to ensure financial support for those centres.

Recommendation #23 (D): To adopt a comprehensive policy and strategy to eliminate all harmful practices against women and girls, which includes raising the awareness of religious and community leaders with the aim of preventing misinterpretations of sharia law and Islamic principles, in addition to awareness-raising efforts targeting the general public and the media, in collaboration with civil society and women’s organizations

34.Response: MoWA is working on developing a strategy on the elimination of violence against women and to provide an enabling environment for appropriate enforcement of the law. The strategy will be shortly finalized. Meanwhile a regulation on the elimination of violence against women is underway and will shortly be finalized.

35.In conformity with the NAPWA, a specific working plan with religious scholars and tribal leaders for preventing violence against women is enacted. Audio, pictorial and printed messages on the rights of women and girls are regularly prepared and published with the cooperation from MoHRA. Scientific and research conferences on the elimination of violence against women from the point of view of Islam and law, national and international seminars on the rights of women from the point of view of the Koran, and workshops on the rights of women in domestic and international law have been conducted. Moreover, mullahs have delivered sermons on the rights of women with the cooperation from MoHRA and influential local people.

36.The MoWA also activated a 24-hour telephone line (6464) to provide free legal aid counselling to women and girls. A MoU was signed with the Organization for Uplifting of Educational Capacity of Afghanistan to operate the line. During January 2013 to January 2015, a total of (33,428) person,(27,392) female and (6,036) male used the telephone line and obtained advice about legal, health, social, psychological, family problems and addiction issues.

Recommendation #23 (E): To ensure the proper registration of cases of violence and the standardized collection of data on all forms of violence against women

37.Response: A lack of inclusive mechanism for recording and analysis of data and figures has been one of the challenges faced by organizations working on upholding women’s rights. Therefore, the MoWA has created a standard database in coordination with the MoI, the AGO to register incidents of violence against women.