U.N. Establishes "Gender Coordinating Unit" for Afghanistan
The U.N. has established a Gender Coordinating Unit for Afghanistan which will establish gender policy for the area together with other agencies. A human rights adviser has also been appointed, and a gender advisor will begin work there next month.
Diplomats fear that the Taliban will enter into a confrontation with the U.N. if the issue of women's rights is not approached very cautiously. The Taliban has henceforth been extremely hostile to outside efforts to restore women's rights to education, health care and basic mobility.
"The idea is to help Afghan women without annoying the Taliban. A confrontation with the militia will further hurt the women," stated a U.N. official.
5/22/2013 Immigration Reform Bill Advances In Senate - Last night, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a sweeping immigration reform bill in a bipartisan vote of 13 to 5. . . .
5/22/2013 Afghan Women Arrested for 'Moral Crimes' Increases 50% - A new report by the Human Rights Watch shows that in the past 18 months the number of women in Afghanistan incarcerated for 'moral crimes' has increased from 400 to 600, a 50% growth.
Many of the women imprisoned for moral crimes were arrested running away from forced or abusive marriages and families, even though there is no law against leaving. . . .
5/22/2013 Army Commander Suspended for Adultery Amid Wave of Sexual Assaults - On Tuesday, Brigadier General Bryan T Roberts was suspended from his position as commander of the Fort Jackson, South Carolina training camp which trains approximately 60% of incoming female recruits pending an investigation into allegations of adultery.
Roberts was suspended following allegations of "adultery and a physical altercation." Colonel Christian Kubik, an Army spokesperson for the Training and Doctrine Command, told reporters "We don't have any evidence of any sexual assault. . . .
