UNIFEM Launches Database to Track Violence against Women in Afghanistan

A new pilot project to capture cases of violence against women in a comprehensive database has been launched by UNIFEM in Afghanistan. The database will be used to analyze trends and determine strategies to tackle the issue, including identifying gaps in nation-wide response mechanisms and service provision for victims.

The current availability of mostly anecdotal evidence of violence against women has led to a limited understanding of the root causes of violence in Afghan society. Women's rights advocates cite common problems associated with apathy and an acceptance of violence within communities, disregard of women's complaints of assault by law enforcement agencies, and even a lack of understanding as to what constitutes violence against women in the first place. Many advocates also lament the often poor response from national institutions that are supposed to protect women.

The new database includes a standardized format intended to identify the types of violence perpetrated, systematize recording and reporting of cases, and form a central repository of information for law enforcement agencies to utilize, so that women's complaints are taken seriously and these agencies are better able to prosecute cases. The data collected will also be used to inform recommendations to government and law-making bodies to improve legislation and legal processes to address the issue. The data will be incorporated in the national statistics compiled and disseminated by the central statistics office.

As a key part of the project, UNIFEM has been training field workers in conducting interviews with victims of violence and recording their experiences. Inputs from the training have in turn helped to refine and sharpen the research and format elements of the database. The interview process includes a practical check-list of priorities to cover, beginning with the immediate safety of the woman being interviewed, followed by recommendations on getting treatment in the event of any injuries, and then documentation of the victim's injuries for future court proceedings. All throughout, interviewers are reminded of the necessity of building trust by listening and not placing blame on the victim, so that fear and stigma do not prevent them from reporting their experiences.