(2004/C 78 E/0372)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3900/02

by Lennart Sacrédeus (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject:   Treatment and life situation of girls and women in Afghanistan

Under the rule of the Islamic Taliban regime in Afghanistan, girls were not allowed to go to school to be educated. The Taliban's discrimination against women was all-embracing, systematised and part of Islamic, male-dominated ideology. Since the fall of the Taliban dictatorship, a great deal of disturbing information has continued to come out of Afghanistan — the CNN report of 22 October being one instance — that girls and women are still treated badly in many parts of the country, examples of which are child labour, being denied access to schooling or being sold into virtual slavery through the practice of marrying off young girls as a means of repaying debts.

What measures is the Commission currently taking to promote equal, unique and inviolable human dignity for girls and women in present-day Afghanistan? Is it possible for the Union, through having representatives on the spot, to ensure that the rights and the precarious life situation of girls and children in general are improved?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2003)

The Commission is promoting change through its aid programme to Afghanistan. In 2002, specific projects for women were funded including the rehabilitation of women's baths and a park for women in Kabul. The Commission has also financed several initiatives to promote civil society and encourage advocacy for disadvantaged and minority groups, including women. Similar projects are planned for the future.

More broadly, the Commission alongside the international community, must ensure that the rights and roles of women are a key element of recovery and reconstruction. From facilitating their access to basic healthcare and education to pushing for their inclusion in all aspects of the policy making process. The Commission is a leading donor in the health sector where tackling child and maternal mortality as well as reproductive health issues are key priorities.

The Afghanistan Transitional Authority has set up two Advisory Groups on Gender and Human Rights as part of the Consultative Group Structure tasked with taking forward recovery and reconstruction. The meeting of the Afghanistan Development Forum in March 2003 will enable the international community to monitor progress, and to keep these issues at the heart of the Government's approach to development.

The international community must also work with the Government to ensure that the new Constitution enshrines Human Rights for all, including women, and that these are enforced through the judicial system. The Commission is contributing to the Law and Order trust fund which will help to finance judicial reform and to ensure that laws are implemented effectively.