Afghans, Tajiks decry violence against women

Crimes against Afghan women rose sharply in 2013 compared with 2012, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) cited the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) as saying November 25.

In the first six months of 2013, authorities recorded more than 4,150 cases of violence against women, almost a 25% increase compared to the same period last year, the AIHRC said in a statement coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

But those cases were reported and many others go unreported, authorities say.

Meanwhile, civic organisations in Tajikistan November 25 launched a 16-day campaign to raise awareness about the problem, RFE/RL’s Tajik service reported.

In the first half of 2013, Tajik authorities registered 1,385 crimes against women, most of which were violent, according to the report. The corresponding statistic for the first six months of 2012 was not reported.

Source: Central Asia Online – 26.11.2013 – http://centralasiaonline.com/en_GB/articles/caii/newsbriefs/2013/11/26/newsbrief-03