We condemned with strongest indignation the increasing incidents of public executions, beheadings, murders, rapes, beatings, and other forms of violence against Afghan women through holding demonstrations, human rights chains and organizing gatherings to protest on 17 July 2015 in Kabul. More specifically, we hold the Taliban responsible for the many incidents of poisoning that victimized 2,000 school girls in various parts of the country since last year. This is a clear criminal act which betrays how much the Taliban and extremism is threatened by advancements on the status of women in our country.
During the year 2015, the Jalal Foundation in Afghanistan held mandatory gender-awareness workshops for all of its members and volunteers as well as for 50 women’s non-governmental organizations. In addition, conferences, seminars and workshops were conducted to ensure that educators at all levels are trained on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and other gender-related issues including recognizing and addressing violence against women. Jalal Foundation seeks to implement a zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
The organization has also launched research including an overview of women’s rights in the Afghan Constitution, violence against women and violence within and between families and communities, gender equality and level of development, and the prevention of violence against women and respect for women’s rights – way forward;
One million signatures have been gathered from people across the country as commitments to joining the struggle against violence against women. Seminars have also been conducted on the role of the law in ending violence against women.
Fifty-four articles and short stories on VAW and UNSCR 1325 have been published to send out messages to decrease VAW and promote women’s participation in the country.