KABUL): The United Nations has condemned the intimidation and targeted killings of female Afghan officials, stressing the need for bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women is pervasive and increasing.”
She denounced the killing of a top woman police officer in the southern province of Helmand, 38-year-old Sub-Inspector Nigar, who died of bullet wounds from an insurgent attack.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said: “Recent cases of targeted killings point to the urgent need to guarantee women’s and girls’ rights as the Afghan government prepares for a full takeover from international forces and moves towards elections.”
In a statement, she said: “The empowerment of women and realisation of their rights are fundamental to the reconstruction of Afghanistan so that women and men can take responsibility for the future development of their country.”
UN Women noted several cases of intimidation, abduction and targeted killings of women government officials and public figures in recent months.
Earlier in September, Sushmita Banerjee, a writer and activist from India married to an Afghan businessman, was killed outside her home in Paktika province. In August, Friba Kakar, a woman parliamentarian, was kidnapped and freed several weeks later in exchange for detained militants.
pr/mud
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