9 out of 10 Afghan women fear Taliban’s return: Survey
October 3rd, 2011 - 7:39 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) Nine out of 10 women in Afghanistan are worried about the Taliban returning to power as it could risk the gains they have made in the past 10 years, a survey by NGO ActionAid has found.
“In a poll conducted among 1,000 women across Afghanistan, 66 percent said they feel safer now than they did 10 years ago, while 72 percent believed their lives are better now than 10 years ago,” the survey, released Monday, said in the wake of the current reconciliation process with the Taliban.
“Of those who fear a return of the Taliban, 1 in 5 cited their daughters’ education as the main concern,” the survey report said. Oct 7 marks the 10th anniversary of the US and British forces’ intervention in Afghanistan.
For experts working with the women of the war-ravaged territory, their inclusion in policy-making has been the major concern till now.
“All parties involved must make public statements that the equal rights for men and women that are enshrined in the Afghan constitution - including women’s right to education, to work, and to participate in public life - are sacred and will never be overturned,” said Belinda Calaguas, director of policy of ActionAid.
The NGO’s Afghanistan country director, P.V. Krishnan said: “If Afghan women are excluded from decision-making on the future of their country, we risk not only sacrificing the gains made for women over the past ten years, but Afghanistan will be a less stable society as a result.”
- 'Afghanistan's future lies in strengthening democracy, checking corruption' - Aug 09, 2012
- NATO official's 'Kabul safer than most Western cities' claim blasted by kids, aid groups - Nov 23, 2010
- High rate of underage marriages in Pakistan - Mar 10, 2012
- 500,000 lactating or pregnant flood-hit women in Pak need instant care: NGO - Oct 15, 2010
- Pakistan safeguarding interests in Afghanistan 'through people having guns': Expert - May 01, 2011
- India faces climate change, hunger risks: Report - Oct 10, 2011
- Kabul pact: Pakistan's India discomfort makes it hard, says US (Lead) - May 02, 2012
- Bonn conference stresses on rebuilding Afghanistan - Dec 05, 2011
- A last tango between Washington and Islamabad? (Comment) - Dec 27, 2011
- WikiLeaks: Bollywood stars should tour Afghanistan, said US diplomat (Lead) - Dec 17, 2010
- Rebuilding education from the ruins: Afghan minister (Interview) - Jul 01, 2012
- HIV positive children battle disease, discrimination (Dec 1 is World AIDS Day) - Dec 01, 2010
- Petraeus holds out prospect of US reconciliation with Taliban - Aug 16, 2010
- Afghan Taliban reconciliation plan fizzles out over militants' rejection of Peace Council - Nov 10, 2010
- Afghanistan faces existential threat from terror: India (Lead) - Jul 08, 2012
Tags: 10 women, 10 years, 10th anniversary, 9 out of 10, actionaid, afghan women, country director, inclusion, men and women, New Delhi, ngo, oct 7, public statements, reconciliation, return of the taliban, return survey, stable society, survey report, taliban, women in afghanistan