Women have no face and no voice, being born as a women in Afghanistan is a curse, ordeal, torture and constant struggle for self respect and survival; says Aaqila (name changed) a former Television journalist who was forced to flee her country with her two year old son and has taken refuge in Nepal.

Aaqila was subjected to torture and insult. Only because she was educated and a career oriented women in a conservative society, her husband criticized her, humiliated her, and believed that she brought disgrace and disrespect to him and his family. She was stabbed in her head, arms and chest with a screwdriver, unable to bear the torture and escape the horrendous crime by her husband; she decided to flee to Nepal. She is today living as an urban refuge.

The laws in Afghanistan are too weak to protect women, as even though she was constantly insulted, beaten, abused and humiliated by her heroin addict husband who even threatened her of acid attack, none of the family members or authorities took any action, they always blamed her for the treatment she received.

Afghan woman forced to flee her country to escape domestic violence.

Incidents of violence against women are common in Afghanistan. Being a tribal and patriarchal society, it does not believe in rights and equality for women. Men beat and abuse, their wives, children and sisters, without any fear of punishment. Most of the incidents remain largely under-reported because of cultural restraints, social norms and religious beliefs that women are inferior and secondary to men.

Afghan women have it worst and suffer abuse despite the law to protect them which was enacted in August 2009 aimed to eliminate violence against women law and criminalizes child marriage, selling and buying women to settle disputes, assault and more than a dozen other acts of violence and abuse against women, according to an UN Report.

There was some hope after the fall of Taliban regime in 2002; things slowly began to change in the country and it was during this period that women in Afghanistan started to emerge from the oppression of the Taliban and many embraced the freedom and change. A big step towards the change was when many educated women and young girls preferred to shed their burqa in public, as a mark of freedom and identity. Educated women were slowly getting their foot back in mainstream profession as teachers, doctors, politicians, human activists, lawyers and media.

The change was very inspiring and encouraging for Aaqila she was looking forward for opportunities as a media professional, when the National Television Channel that was re-launched with headquarters’ in Kabul. Being young, dynamic and passionate about her country and people, she decided to peruse a career in Media and joined the Afghan National Television, at the time when many women were seen on television as anchors, news editors, singers on talent shows and so on. It was after a decade of oppression, that their faces and voices were heard on the radio and television broadcasting various programs.

Within no time, she gained her confidence and was doing extremely well in her career and was optimistic that she will go a long way in professional life. Unfortunately, her parents married her to her uneducated first cousin who was a heroin addict. Her father had borrowed some money and was unable to pay back his debt, so the family decided to settle the debt by getting her married to the creditor.

Life for Aaqila took a U-turn, immediately after her marriage her ordeals started, she was first asked to cover her herself with Burqa (Veil) and was not allowed to go out alone. She was asked to quit her job and raise a family staying inside their house without any social interaction or professional communication. She was in for a rude shock, she was constantly abused and cursed that she brought shame to the family by going around uncovered and working in National TV for which she was tortured and abused every day.

Forced marriage, often of underage girls, is still common in many parts of Afghanistan. It is a traditional and religious way of settling dispute which is still practiced largely in the country. There have been reports of families of raped young girls, being forced to sell their daughters to her rapist because their community decides that it is the only way her family can recover from the shame of the rape, as mentioned by UN reports from Afghanistan.

A 2012 survey by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) found that 87% of the women they surveyed had experienced physical and/or psychological abuse at the hands of their families and domestic violence. The report concluded “Violence against women is an epidemic in Afghanistan”. The Afghan women are still among the worst treated in the world. As per United Nations, violence and rape against them is a “huge problem”.

Aaqila feels sad and helpless for herself and other women like her in Afghanistan, who have no freedom and are treated like slaves, with no basic human rights and no human dignity which is a harsh and disturbing reality.

She was raised with a liberal mindset and grew up with the fact that education is an effective tool for women empowerment and education can bring change in the mindset of the people and the society. Unfortunately, she was tortured and abused for being educated. She was ambitious and had a strong desire to be a media professional.

Feeling depressed and dejected, she made a bold move in her life and escaped to Nepal with the help of some friends who were travelling to Nepal to attend a South Asian Women’s conference. Being a journalist, she was well received in Nepal, after the conference she decided never to return back to her country. She is now, at the mercy of UNHRC and third country resettlement program with constant fear about her future her and that of her son, who is growing up as a refugee.

Life as a single Afghan refugee woman is a nightmare and full of tribulation, with no friends, family or support. She is fighting her battle at the mercy of United Nations High Commission for refugees (UNHRC). Life of a refugee is tough and full of challenges, the process of repartition and rehabilitating is a lengthy one filled with uncertainties and geopolitical relations and realities. The United Nations High Commission rehabilitates refugees under the repartition scheme for refugees (UNHRC) in USA, UK, Canada or Europe.

In January, a law was passed in Afghanistan by the Parliament that effectively legalizes domestic violence and bans anyone from testifying against relatives leaving women across the world shocked, outraged and horrified. The legislation will allow men to attack their wives, children and sisters without any fear of punishment. This new law, if signed by the President, will empower men and encourage violence against women.

It is severe injustice against the Afghani women population that such laws are forced upon them. The Taliban regime had made their life miserable and now this new law will give more power to men in the patriarchical society. Women had lost hope for a better future in their country and this law was the final nail in the coffin.

Lamenting the passage of the law by the Parliament, Chairperson of European Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi Professor Gulshan Sachdeva, said that Afghanistan is still a very conservative society and the country is going through uncertain political scenario and laws like this against women clearly reflects that conservative forces are slowly regaining ground in Afghanistan’s politics.