The women in Afghanistan will be most hard hit once the international troops leave the region, according to Asila Wardak, who is the newly elected member of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC).
Representing Afghanistan at the newly formed human rights body of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Asila Wardac is one of the four women members who have recently joined the 18-member Commission, according to a report published in the official organ of the OIC.
A proponent of women’s rights, Asila is concerned about the Muslim women, who “face many problems, especially in Afghanistan and other conflict-affected countries.”
Excited over joining the IPHRC, she said, “I’m very optimistic and positive about this (IPHRC) initiative and we are committed to work hard,” the report mentions.
According to Asila, the culture of impunity in Afghanistan is increasing every day especially now that the international troops are leaving and giving power to the national army and police who are not trained enough on basic Human Rights issues, consequently women are the victims.
“We are seeking the help of the OIC countries in terms of capacity building of our police and in terms of providing training to the justice and law organisations in Afghanistan,” the OIC Journal quotes her saying.
Nevertheless, the situation for women now in Afghanistan is better than what it was ten years ago, she said.
All the four women members of the IPHRC stressed on the rights of women as an important part of the Commission’s work.
Dr. Raihanah binti Abdullah, another Commission member from Malaysia, said that the image of Islamic countries in the international arena is bad in terms of human rights, particularly with regards to women’s rights and the rights of children.
By having this Commission Dr. Raihanah hopes that the Islamic countries would deal with their human rights issues more professionally and effectively.
The two other women members from Sudan and Indonesia agreed on the need to promote women’s rights in the Member States.
The IPHRC held an Orientation Meeting at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah recently. The meeting, being in a brainstorming mode, conducted preparatory work for the first formal session of the Commission expected to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia in February 2012.
The OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu too stressed that only through women’s increased participation in political, social and other spheres that the society will find its way towards meaningful progress and development.
In a statement at the International Conference “Change in Muslim Societies and the Role of Women” in Istanbul, last week the Secretary General said, “We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that such opportunities are still limited only to the privileged few. He stressed that a vast majority of Muslim women remain deprived of their basic rights and access to social opportunities vis-à-vis their male partners.”
The OIC of late has taken major efforts to enhance the role of Muslim women in member states of the OIC. These efforts include initiating the Ministerial Conference on Women’s Role in Development, which led to the drafting of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women, and the establishment of the Family Affairs Department in the OIC.
The fact that four of the 18-member Human Rights Commission are women, also bears testimony to the OIC’s commitment to gender equality.
The secretary general affirmed, “I firmly believe that the four women members of the IPCHR will play a commendable role in strengthening the rights of women in Muslim society,” Ihsanoglu added.
The international pressure on Islamic countries on the issues of women’s status, human rights etc., has its bearing on the OIC decision to set up an independent human rights body.