Sexual Violence And Gender Based Violence Against Women...

3.1. Sexual violence and gender based violence against women and girls Wartime sexual and gender based violence is one of the main concerns of SCR 1325. Violence against women in the forms of rape, torture, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, forced sterilization and murder has increasing become a routine weapon of war (Willett, 2010, pp. 153-154). A further concern is the persistence of widespread sexual violence, even after political stabilisation, where sexual violence becomes a ‘normal’ part of society and its systems. Sexual and gender based violence, including the threat of violence, is a powerful tactic of war that services to exclude women’s participation and enforce their victimisation and subservience (Willett, 2010, pp. 154). SCR†¦show more content†¦These include; Ministry of Women affairs, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Elimination of Violence Against Women Commission, Elimination of Violence Against Women Prosecution Office, Family Courts and Gender Units in many ministries, and inter-ministerial committees (Ebrahimkhel, 2013, p. 1). In 2009, the Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women was (EVAW) decreed into law by an executive order by the President. The EVAW law banned and set new penalties for underage and forced marriage, domestic violence, rape, forced prostitution, and other abuses against women (Ebrahimkhel, 2013, p. 2). Despite the Government’s efforts, a number of reports demonstrate an alarming increase in violence against women over recent years (Hamid, 2011, pp. 31; Cameron Kamminga, 2014, pp. 8-9; UNAMA UN OHCHR, 2015, pp. 7-9). Women report cases of physical abuse, forced marriages, and the continued existence of entrenched cultural practices, such as baad (the exchange of women and girls to end family feuds). There is a lack of official primary and comprehensive data on violence against women in Afghanistan. The Government of Afghanistan reported 4,505 registered incidents of violence against women in 32 of the 34 provinces, between March 2012 to March 2013 (Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, 2014, pp. 8). Registered cases refers to any incident of violence against women