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