'4,000 domestic violence cases in Afghanistan in seven months'

About 4,000 cases of domestic violence have been reported in Afghanistan in the last seven months, chairperson of Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission Dr Sima Samar has said.

"In the last seven months, 4,000 cases of domestic violence were reported in Afghanistan," Samar said during an award function held here recently. Male-domination in the society and lack of education are responsible for this, she said.

Samar, however, acknowledged that the condition of women has improved as compared to what it was under the Taliban. "The condition of women in Afghanistan has improved a lot since the fall of the Taliban. During the Taliban rule, women were practically imprisoned in their own houses," she said.

According to her, the situation is changing for the better as girls are now getting educated. "Women are now educating themselves. They are also active in politics and have even began working as journalists," she said. However, at some places there is a threat from the Taliban, who continue to burn girls' schools and even assault them, Samar said, adding, "Nonetheless, girls are taking the risk of going to their schools."