WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/03 by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Women's rights in Afghanistan.
Date: 2003-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Afghanistan, EU aid, aid policy, position of women, women's rights

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/413

(2004/C 88 E/0419)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/03

by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2003)

Subject: Women’s rights in Afghanistan

The Taliban’s seizure of power in 1996 went hand in hand with a spectacular decline in the situation of
Afghan women. Women were subjected to extreme psychological and physical repression in the form of a
partial or total withdrawal of medical care, education, opportunities to earn a living and freedom of
movement.

Many had hoped that the end of the Taliban regime would usher in a new era for Afghan women. In the
European Parliament resolution of 5 September 2002 (1) it was stressed that absolute priority must be
given to the situation of women in Afghanistan. Members of the European Parliament also asked for a new
Afghan government to adopt and implement effective measures to improve the situation of women. The
European Union also wishes to contribute to this process, and has provided for part of Europe’s support
for Afghanistan to be targeted directly at specific women’s projects.

But a year and a half after the Bonn conference the situation of women is anything but favourable. In the
country, where three-quarters of Afghans live, nothing has changed for women. This has been confirmed
by Members of the European Parliament who participated in the EP delegation to Afghanistan: since the
fall of the Taliban women’s rights have improved only in Kabul, and over the whole country only 30 % of
girls go to school.

How does the EU react to this continuing violation of women’s rights? Which specific women’s projects in
Afghanistan are being funded by the EU? As well as supporting specific women’s projects, is the EU taking
other steps to improve the situation of women? What proportion of the European budget for Afghanistan
is used entirely for the benefit of women?

(1) P5-TA(2002)0407.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 August 2003)

The Commission is promoting change through its aid programme to Afghanistan. In 2002, specific
projects for women were funded including the rehabilitation of women’s baths and a park for women in
Kabul. The Commission has also financed several
initiatives to promote civil society and encourage
advocacy for disadvantaged and minority groups, including women.

The 2003-2004 Country Strategy Paper underlines the need to put women at
the
Commission’s approach to Afghanistan. It will continue to fund projects specifically for women (cid:1) for
example, women’s baths in six regional cities outside Kabul. And to ensure that their specific needs are
mainstreamed across all projects. A minimum of 2 % of the Commission reconstruction programme will
be devoted to specific women’s projects. However, it is the overall approach to mainstreaming that will
ensure that women benefit substantially from all of the Community’s interventions. For example, the
Commission’s health programme is heavily focussed on women’s health needs.

the heart of

More broadly, the Commission alongside the international community, must ensure that the women’s
rights and roles of women are a key element of recovery and reconstruction, from facilitating their access
to basic healthcare and education to pushing for their inclusion in all aspects of the policy making process.
The Commission is a leading donor in the health sector where tackling child and maternal mortality as
well as reproductive health issues are key priorities.

C 88 E/414

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The international community must also work with the Government to ensure that the new Constitution
enshrines Human Rights for all, including women, and that these are enforced through the judicial system.
The Commission is contributing to the Law and Order trust fund and to the justice sector. This will help
finance judicial reform and ensure that laws are implemented effectively.

(2004/C 88 E/0420)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2486/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(25 July 2003)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Uzbekistan with respect to Adventists and members of the Asia

Protestant Church

Given that:

(cid:1) five months after a raid on their small congregation in Nukus, capital of Karakalpakstan, an
autonomous republic in north-western Uzbekistan, and more than two months after being fined, a
group of Adventists has been summoned to appear in court in Nukus on 20 July 2003.

(cid:1) the Nukus Prosecutor, Sultan Ibragimov, is refusing to provide any information on the reasons for this

summons.

(cid:1) the official responsible for religious affairs, Nurula Jamalov, has admitted that the material confiscated

from the Adventists during the raid will not be distributed in Uzbekistan.

(cid:1) on 21 June 2003 Nelya Denisova, a member of the Asia Protestant Church, was questioned for four
hours by an official of the National Security Service (formerly KGB). The NSS has forbidden her to
divulge what was said at the interrogation.

(cid:1) the Asia Protestant Church has not yet succeeded in obtaining the registration which would allow it to
operate legally on the grounds that Article 8 of Uzbekistan’s Law on Religion requires pastors to
receive specific religious training.

In view of the excellent economic and trade relations between the European Union and Uzbekistan, will
the Commission state:

(cid:1) whether it is aware of the serious and repeated violations of religious freedom in Uzbekistan and of

the above incidents?

(cid:1) what measures could,

in its view, be taken within this cooperation framework as a serious and

effective means of encouraging Uzbekistan to respect religious freedom?

(2004/C 88 E/0421)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2487/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(25 July 2003)

Subject: Violations of religious freedom in Turkmenistan and protection of Muslim and Russian Orthodox

communities

Given that:

(cid:1) on 27 May 2003, an operational group from the Ashgabad city division of the Ministry of the Interior
raided the home of a Hare Krishna female devotee, Gaurabhakta Devi Dasi, whose home was used as a
place of worship.

(cid:1) during the raid, two other devotees, Varshana Prabhu and Mishra Bhagavan Prabhu, were arrested. In
attempting to extract information from Mishra Bhagavan, the police beat him so hard that they drew
blood.