Since antiquity, women have been treated as second grade citizens of all across the globe. The situation is almost the same everywhere irrespective of the developed country or the developing country. Women have been relegated to secondary position despite the fact that they numerically constitute about half the world population today.

This situation has caused immense loss to their self-dignity as human beings and also their independent entities, associated with men, apart from other matter, in context with intellectual and professional capability. 
In the very beginning of civilization, women enjoyed a respectable position in society-at par with men. They actively participated in social, religious affairs as well as in warfare. The social, religious ceremonies were considered incomplete unless women participated in them. However, it was their physical constitution which acted as hurdles on the way to doing their various different difficult tasks.

Gradually, their socio-political down fall began, as they became dependent on men for food, protection for their other necessities. It was due to the strong built-up of men; they risked their lives in course of hunting and food collection. It is really ironical that superiority is not accorded to the fair sex who are responsible for carrying forward lives on this planet but to men who have muscle power with the help of which they can subjugate others. 

Violence against women is not a new or recent phenomenon women have been the victims of violence all through the age, in all societies, cultures regions or religious communities in the world and continue till-date unhampered.

Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women. Similar to a hate crime, this type of violence targets a specific group with the victim’s gender as a primary motive. The United Nations General Assembly defines “violence against women” as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.” 

Therefore, a UN resolution designated 25 November as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In that pursuit, worldwide governments and organizations are urged to actively work, to combat violence against women through a variety of programs.

Violence against women is one of the main and widespread violations of human rights that exist in all cultures in the world. Any act of gender based violence that would cause mental, physical or sexual harm to women is called violence against women. It does not only violate human rights but also slowdowns the productivity of women in the society which have a very negative effect on economic growth of a country because women form the major proportion of the population in the world. Every type of violence against women is itself a huge problem that results not only to harm a particular gender but also harms the whole society.   

In Afghanistan violence against women is much widespread and deeply rooted in different parts of the country. Violence against women is a dramatic problem in Afghanistan that has caused lots of damages to the life of women itself as well as to the society.

Women in Afghanistan have no or little voice to be heard and they have always been victims of violence either from their own family or from the society. They have never given equal rights specially the right to freedom and never been treated equally like men because the traditions, customs and practices have always kept men to be superior on women.

According to media and concerned Ministry sources, thousands of incidents of violence have happened this year. Violence against women in Afghanistan have kept women very far away from education which is one of the reasons that usually subjected them to extensive discriminations because they are unaware and have less knowledge about their basic rights.

The choices for Afghan women are extraordinarily restricted; the family decides the fate of their lives. There is little chance for education, little choice about whom a woman marries, no choice at all about her role in her own house. Her primary job is to serve her husband’s family.

Violence against women in Afghanistan such as domestic violence, honor killing, and sexual violence against women and young girls are some examples of violence that has caused lots of destructions to afghan women in particular and to the society in general.

Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission(AIHRC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have recorded tens of murders and honor killings of girls and women in the previous months, the figure has multiplied, compared to murders for all of last year. AIHRC has recently recorded, 550 cases of violence against women including, beating, forced marriages, murder and rape, most of them happening in the remoter provinces of the country.

Amnesty International (AI), equally raised concerns over escalating violence against women in Afghanistan and previous whipping in public of a 16-year-old girl by a local mullah in the southern Ghazni province of Afghanistan for an “illicit relationship” with a boy is abhorrent and testifies to the precarious situation of women and girls in Afghanistan,

Urgent steps must be taken to put down crime and violence against woman. Healthy public opinion must be created against such undesirable, criminal activities. The government should see that none guilty of such crimes escapes scot-free. Special courts should be set up for the trail of crimes against womanhood. Poper, legal prosecutional system should be developed, with immediate hearings and quick relief gauranteed. Young men and women should also themselves resist such malpractices. We shall be happy to note that the government takes such grave social problem, a prior agenda.

In short, the war should be waged on several fronts, with laudable articulation of women rights. It is bound to be a prolonged and intensive fight, if the desired results are to be obtained. Therefore, our efforts should be directed towards the all-round development of each and every section of Afghani women, not confining the benefit to a particular section of women in society, by giving them their due share.

It is a must to protect their chastity, modesty and dignity and ensure their dignified position in society. Without removing this social stigma, ensuring women rights, enduring progress and development could not be achieved. For this, the governmental and non-governmental organizations should come forward and play an active role in creating awareness in society.