(MENAFN- Khaama Press) Australia's special envoy for Afghanistan says violence against women is more entrenched and widespread there than anywhere else, warning that the country's women face escalating risks.
Australia's special envoy for Afghanistan says no country in the world faces gender violence as deeply rooted, structural and pervasive as Afghanistan, warning that women have been pushed out of public life at an unprecedented scale.

Amanda McGregor made the remarks as the United Nations launched its annual 16-day global campaign against gender-based violence, calling the situation in Afghanistan a“test case” for international commitment to women's rights.

McGregor said that restoring women's participation could reshape Afghanistan's future more than any other reform, stressing that progress for Afghanistan society is impossible while half the population remains excluded.

According to UN assessments, the number of Afghanistan women and girls exposed to violence has risen by 40% in less than two years, a surge driven by restrictive edicts, economic hardship and the collapse of protection systems.

The UN says more than 14 million women now require emergency assistance, protective services and safe shelters, a figure it calls historically high for Afghanistan.

In a joint statement, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and UN Women reported a sharp and worrying increase in gender-based violence, urging donor nations to expand support programs and maintain political pressure on the Taliban.

UN agencies warned that without sustained international engagement, the risks facing women will intensify further, while McGregor said the fate of Afghanistan women remains central to the country's stability, development and humanitarian recovery.

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