Australia Warns Violence against Women Deeply Rooted in Afghanistan

DID Press: Amanda McGregor, Australia’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, said no country faces violence against women as deep, structural, and pervasive as Afghanistan—a situation she described as a “real test” of the international community’s commitment to women’s rights.

McGregor highlighted the widespread exclusion of women from public life, noting that the risks facing Afghan women are increasing. She emphasized that restoring women’s participation could transform the country’s future more effectively than any other reform, and that social progress in Afghanistan is impossible without the engagement and contribution of half the population.

According to UN assessments, violence against Afghan women and girls has increased by 40 percent over the past two years, a rise attributed to new restrictions, the economic crisis, and the collapse of support mechanisms.

The United Nations also reported that more than 14 million women in Afghanistan require emergency assistance, support services, and safe shelters—a figure described as unprecedented in the country’s history.