OSAA celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Date: Nov 24, 2022

Violence has been enacted by various international bodies. These usually begin with a proper definition of such violence as a means of combating such practices. The Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence) of the Council of Europe describes VAW “as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women” and defines VAW as “all acts of gender-based violence that result in or are likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.”

The OSSA organization and UNAMA regional office in Herat celebrated International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 24, 2022, at the Arg Hotel in Herat city.

Many Afghan women lost their jobs and opportunities, and high school closed for girls, but now the Afghan women are celebrating the 25th of November with the participation of the de facto government authorities with the hope of a better future and a better life for all Afghans in Afghanistan, in which all Afghan women and men can study, work, and have their fundamental rights, to have an independent Afghanistan.

This program was held with the active participation of the UNAMA regional office deputy director, the OSAA managing director, the HELP Germany INGO country director, UN and INGOs representatives, IEA relevant authorities, and more than 200 civil society activists, university lecturers, former members of parliament, female traders, etc.

The ceremony opened with the holy Quran’s recitation by Mr. Hosseini. Subsequently, Ms. Fareshta Yaqoubi, OSAA Managing Director, discussed the aim of holding a ceremony and celebrating the 25th of November, as well as the situation of Afghan women. She added that the new changes caused limitations and some problems for Afghan women, and these limitations had a negative impact on Afghans, particularly women.

Then Dr. Sayed Mahdi Afzali, a university professor, spoke about the value of women in Islam and the importance of protecting women’s rights, and by referring to verses of the Holy Quran and hadiths of the Prophet Mohammad PBUH, he emphasized the education, work, and presence of women in society according to Islamic teachings.

Then, Mrs. Masouma Jami, Head of Zinda Jan District Women Council, spoke about the Afghan women’s situation and current challenges. Mrs. Jami stated that we strongly desire the UN and the IEA to help Afghan women in the following areas:

1- The UN departments in Afghanistan attempt to assist Afghanistan in some critical areas.
2- The UN departments try to help all Afghans in this situation, especially Afghan women.
3- The new restrictions had a negative psychological impact on Afghan women.
4- Women and the IEA departments need effective communication with each other.
5- We would like to request that all secondary schools open immediately for girls in order to ensure their continued access to university education.
6- Women must work, and the IEA should improve women’s working conditions.
7- Afghan men and women try to build Afghanistan together.
8- We want IEA to have meetings with women and let them make their legitimate requests.

Mawlana Naeemulhaq Haqqani, head of the Herat information and culture directorate, stated that the IEA tries to prepare a good situation for Afghan women, and our gathering today shows that we are not against women, but we will try to prepare a better situation for Afghans, especially our sisters and mothers.

Finally, Mr. Rafiq Shaheer, the Head of the Herat Specialties Council, concluded the
ceremony and wanted to live together inside the country and create a basis for prosperity and progress of every citizen.

At the end of the program, the ceremony’s participants renewed their commitment to prevent violence against women and support women’s rights and signed the relevant commitment banner.