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Afghan women call for equality two years after fall of Taliban
Kabul, Nov 12: Two years after the fall of the Taliban, Afghan women are calling for the country`s new constitution to enshrine equal rights and greater participation in political life, denied to them under the old regime.
The draft constitution released last week says all
Afghans are equal but makes no explicit reference to equality
of the sexes, women's rights activists told reporters.
"Learning from past constitutions and the
discrimination women have suffered in the past two decades of
war, we want the explicit term 'women and men are equal'
rather than the broader term 'all afghans have equal rights
and duties before the law' which can be easily
misinterpreted," said Hangama Noori of the Afghan Independent
Human Rights Commission.
A working group comprised of women lawyers and rights
activists has drawn up a list of recommended changes to the
draft constitution to enshrine the rights of women, state
minister for Women's Affairs Mahbuba Hoquqmal said.
Among their recommendations are explicit guarantees
of equal rights and measures to eliminate discrimination and
violence against women.
Bureau Report