The Diplomat, 8 March 2022
In this article reflecting on women’s rights in Afghanistan, the author refers to and quotes from AAN research on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law:
Although the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law was promulgated in 2009 by presidential decree, it was the 2013 attempt to ratify the law in parliament that sparked a backlash “because, before, the public did not know of [the law’s] existence.”
The public attention mobilized lobbyists and protestors; EVAW protests at Kabul University attracted 700 participants. An analyst with the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) characterized the issue of women’s rights as “potentially incendiary” and accounted for the backlash in this way: “being seen to push for reforms when it comes to Afghan women’s lives can easily touch and threaten the most deeply held sentiments of honor, patriarchy, love of one’s religion and patriotism.”
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 22 Mar 2022
