Shabana Shows support for Afghan women

Bollywood actress and Indian social activist Shaban Azmi met with Afghan women in Kabul to show her support for Afghan women in their struggle against violence against females in Afghanistan. The United Nations says Afghan women in government and other prominent public roles are increasingly being harassed and threatened with violence. The U.N. report says the women are being targeted by insurgents, Islamic hardliners and, in some cases, groups within the Afghan government. It cites a number of targeted killings of women with public profiles. The U.N. says the "growing trend" of violence against women extends to female provincial council members, civil servants and journalists. The report published Wednesday is based on interviews with victims and describes a number of cases of harassment and killings. It says rape is widespread in all parts of the country. "The situation is alarming largely because these issues relating to Afghan women, to the fact that the population, so much of the population live below the poverty line. Access to education for girls who are fifteen years of age is almost nil and sometimes even less then fifteen percent, that there are 25 thousand deaths due to complications that are rise out of pregnancy, that the issue of rape and violence against women doesn't get discussed or brought into the public space." said Azmi. AGENCIES