Freedom of Speech

Freedom from Fear

Freedom to Vote

Freedom from Torture

Freedom of Choice

Freedom from enslavement

Freedom of Religion

- All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights - Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses. - Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

- Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
- Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. - Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.

- Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free; at least in the elementary and fundamental stages Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
- Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

- Abuse violence and discrimination against women are widely tolerated and systematic. - The issues with womens rights are still being ignored and remain as a social epidemic.

- Many governments turn a blind eye towards the increasing problems with the discrimination and violence against women
- Abused victims of rape, unfair treatments in the workplace, domestic violence etc., have got no one to turn to

- Women are attacked in areas of armed conflict e.g. DR Congo and Rwanda. Many are infected with HIV/AIDS as a result - In Pakistan, men are beating women at alarming rates yet government officials refuse to interfere and punish batterers - In Thailand, Burma and Nigeria, women are constantly being sold and trafficked into prostitution where governments are not doing enough to protect the rights of women - In Ukraine and Mexico, women are often denied employment simply because they are women - In the US, students attack girls who are homosexuals, bisexuals or transgender

-In Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, women are rendered as being unequal in front of the law.
- Women are not allowed to study at universities and can be arrested for not wearing the correct clothing in countries such as Iran.

Before
*Women carried out businesses transactions * Education for women and their right to vote was introduced to the constitution in 1964

During
*Taliban took over in the 1990s *Restricted and violated womens right on education, work and freedom of movement *Strict dress code

After
*Taliban was overthrown in 2001 *Over one million girls are attending school *Access to health care services *Afghan government and NGO has set up programs to improve womens status and public participations.

*Job positions held by women: - 70% teachers - 50% civil servants - 40% doctors

*Imposed harsh penalties on women for breaking such rules. E.g.: public lashings
*Restricted access to health care services

*Girls drop-out rates of school is still high *Little or no progress at school *Increase of female teachers is essential, as families would not let daughters to attend school with male teachers *Freedom of movement is still a restriction *Exchange of young women to repay debts still continues *Early marriage 57% married before age of 16. *Widespread intimidation and general security threatens womens right to vote freely

- The UN and its organizations, a main one being Women Watch, has taken a special long term interest in Afghanistan to improve human rights and bring peace to the country. - Its concern increased during 1996 when the Taliban took control of Kabul - Since then, the UN has established a Human Rights Commission in Afghanistan which has created a committee to eliminate discrimination of woman and treat them as equals to men as well as establishing principles in the country reflecting the universal human rights.

- It has been part of the adoption of resolution 1325, made by the Security Council, on women, peace and security on 31st October 2000.
- It has also focused on the issues of education, media and culture; health; human rights and the Constitution; and refugees and internally displaced women.

- They were also urged to recognize the role that women should have in the future Government of Afghanistan as well as in the preparing the Loya Jirga (grand assembly).

- The women arranged to have schools reopened for all children on 21 March 2002 and have resumed the positions of their old jobs

The current priorities of the UN system include: - to stabilize the country and assist in the creation of a transitional government; - to create conditions that allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance; - to develop a plan for the reconstruction and recovery of the country; - to support the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

By: Ariel Suen

Sonal Chugani
Jennifer Feng