November 25 is celebrated as an international day of condemning violence against women, which is still widespread in the so-called “civilized” world of ours. And when we see the third world countries, the situation is really very much tragic. Violence against women is not considered a crime and there are many examples of such violence which make our hearts cry and our beliefs, on human goodness, weaker.

Afghanistan is one of the same kinds of society, where the violation of women rights and violence against women are wide-spread. Afghanistan Independent Human Right Commission (AIHRC) last week said in one of its reports that it has registered more than 3,000 cases of violence against women in the first six months of the current Persian year.

Then there are many other cases that go unreported as most of the women do not have the access to such forums. Their voices can only be heard by the dark corners of their houses, where they cry in solitude after being beaten by the male members of their families; and most of them day in the same murky corners, holding tightly the arms of the grief and misery.

It can be easily observed that the incidents violating women rights in Afghanistan have not been stopped though there have been many claims of developments. In fact the changes are prevalent only on the exterior while from within the Afghan society still lacks the modernity and development it needs in order to reach to a respectable position.

The support and assistance of the international community has only been able to provide clean and beautiful attire not a praiseworthy soul to Afghan society and this attire is going to get dirty very soon. The Afghan social structure has been vehemently dominated by religious extremism and tribal nepotism. Though these factors have affected almost everyone, women have been intensely influenced as they belong to the weaker strata of the society.

Most of the self-designed religious doctrines and tribal norms are against the women and discriminate their basic rights. Unfortunately, these norms and doctrines have even gone to the extent of violence and have tortured women physically – mostly in the public. They, in the name of dignity of women, have in fact degraded them. The concept of so-called tribal honor and dignity has not been able to provide safety and respect to Afghan women.

Though there are many examples of violence against women, some major of them that took place this year should be mentioned here. We start with the incidents of Sahar Gul and Gul Naz. Who can forget the inhuman violence that was carried out against them? They were beaten, forced to prostitution and even misused by their own husbands and in-laws.

When the women’s husbands, who should be their guardians and guarantee their security, themselves are involved in misusing them in the worst possible manner, the prospects of a better live for Afghan women seems very much dim. All these facts seem to be pointing at the scenario quite similar to Taliban era. Moreover, there are many women who fear that Taliban may return after the withdrawal of security forces and achievements that have been made regarding the rights and development of women would be lost.

The worst of the incidents that refreshed the memories of the Taliban era took place few months earlier. A Taliban member shot dead a woman in front of a crowd near Kabul. The woman was accused of adultery and the so-called pious servant of God treated her with the best he knew. She was shot five times as she was kneeling helpless in front of a crowd of about 150 men, who as a response to the punishment cherished the act. One from within the crowd commented, “It is the order of Allah that she be executed”.

There is no doubt that the punishment was senseless, but what to name the response of the people standing and cherishing around? This is Talibanism in its purest form and unfortunately it is at a time when billions of dollars have been spent and thousands of lives have been lost to eradicate the menace.

To stop violence against women, there should be strong law and that should be pursued with due honesty. All the culprits who commit inhumane act against them must be brought to justice and must be punished in accordance to the law. Timely justice, through legal courts can really discourage those who commit such crimes without any fear.

Apart from that the overall women position should be changed in the society. It is really important that women should have their representation in different social and political institutions in the country and they should be made an important part of different processes. Though there have been improvements in this regard since the end of Taliban regime, the concerns seems to be rising recently. It is unfortunate to note that Afghan authorities and many important personalities themselves have favored the recommendations and suggestions to limit the participation of women in social and political lives.

As most of these authorities are themselves nourished in an extremist patriarchal society and do not have much consideration regarding the role and empowerment of women and consider it against their tribal values that they come out of their houses, they would never follow a movement to save women from violence and make them achieve their due place in Afghan society. In such a scenario, it is very difficult to expect that Taliban would respect the rights of women.

It is really important that government must not support the discriminatory ideas against the women. Afghan society is a society that has been dominated by male chauvinism and its history has been filled with various incidents of ruthless violence against women.

There are different sorts of such incidents every now and then in different parts of country even in today’s Afghanistan. Government can prove to be a hope for the women. If it itself encourages the intentions that may undermine the rights of women, it would be very difficult to expect the same from common people.

Moreover, the international community in this regard can also play an important role. Though it has mentioned on almost all the important occasions that human rights, especially women rights, have to be given top priority by the Afghan government if it wills to have the support of major countries, it has not been able to make Afghan government pursue a really practical and comprehensive strategy regarding the issue, which is the only solution for preserving the women rights and dignity to a certain extent in Afghan society.