Projects with the Ministry of Justice

UNIFEM works closely with the Afghan Ministry of Justice to ensure that laws are drafted with gender rights and development in mind.

Prison-related Work

UNIFEM is currently taking the lead in the development and implementation of a comprehensive prison law which protects the rights of women while completing their sentences.

A basic booklet for women on their rights in prison has been distributed to women serving sentences, as well as their lawyers and other relevant parties. These booklets include information on women's rights, as well as a section for their lawyer to record their work history with the client, so that the woman is in possession of her own case history, should lawyers or circumstances change.

Back to top

Law-Mapping

UNIFEM reviews critical articles in the Afghan Constitution [PDF ] in order to ensure that a gender perspective is correctly implemented into laws. In particular, Articles 7 and 22 are examined and activities monitored to be sure these laws are taken into consideration in all cases. Also, articles that are relevant to international conventions as well as women in Sharia law are examined and promoted through a gender perspective.

UNIFEM also assists in research on successes in other relevant countries in order to provide a tested framework that will work to benefit women in Afghanistan.

Back to top

Justice Working Group

UNIFEM is a permanent member of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy's (ANDS) Justice Working Group, and is active in the sub-group Governance, Rule of Law & Human Rights.
Learn more about the Justice Working Group at the ANDS website

Back to top

Technical Advisory Group

The Technical Advisory sub-group (TAG) coordinates participants in lobbying within the Justice Working Group for women's rights to be placed within Afghanistan's legislative framework.

For example, lobbying is being done for priority funding of the new Transitional Houses project. This is done in part by including one member from each of the Justice Working Group's 7 sub-groups in the TAG. The TAG incorporates all the provisions of the National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA) in its activities.

Back to top

UNIFEM is the women’s fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies that promote women's human rights, political participation and economic security worldwide.
UNIFEM International »