This month’s guest speakers discussed the handling of GBV cases under the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Emirate.
The latest webinar hosted by the Afghanistan Legal Research Network (ALRN) at the Max Planck Foundation turned the attention to the legal and institutional framework developed in Afghanistan during the Islamic Republic to address cases of GBV. Furthermore, it explored the changes that this framework underwent as a result of the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The distinguished panel included former female representatives of the Afghan parliament, the judiciary, the bar association and civil society, engaged in the development of a survivor-centred approach to GBV cases.
In her contribution, Shinkai Karokhail shared insights into the process of drafting the 2009 Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Judge Bibi Wahida Rahimi underlined the numerous challenges in adjudicating GBV cases in Afghanistan.
Najla Raheel emphasised the way the ban on female lawyers from legal practice has serious repercussions, including preventing GBV survivors from seeking legal remedies. Finally, Humaira Rasuli analysed the opportunities and challenges in deciding GBV cases through customary dispute resolution mechanisms, including family mediation.
The webinar concluded with a stimulating question-and-answer session giving participants the opportunity to engage with the speakers.
The webinar was part of a series of the project Civil Society and the Rule of Law in Afghanistan, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.