Commitment to Protect Women and Prevent Violence: Launch of the Victims Support Fund
(Speech at the Inauguration of the Fund for Victims of Violence Against Women)
Keypoints:
- Condemnation of Violence: Violence against women is unacceptable, reflects disorder.
- Respect for Women: Islam emphasizes dignity and rights of women.
- Historical Role Models: Afghan women have led and contributed even in difficult times.
- Legal Commitment: Government enforces laws protecting women’s rights.
- Fund Launch: The fund provides support to victims of violence.
- Government Accountability: Cabinet commits to principled and sustained action.
- Cultural Awareness: Society must uphold traditions of respect, not harmful customs.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Honorable Minister of Women’s Affairs, the First Lady, esteemed members of the Cabinet, Mr. Danesh, sisters and brothers: Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Good morning to you all!
Violence against women has no place in the sacred religion of Islam. I repeat: look at the Sirat (biography) of the Prophet; the greatest emphasis is placed on the principle of respecting women. If anyone wishes to see one of the most profound works of Islam where the status of women is analyzed, let them look at Imam Ghazali’s The Alchemy of Happiness (Kimiya-yi Sa'ādat). A Moroccan scholar named Fatima [Mernissi] conducted a clear comparative analysis of the theories of Freud and Imam Ghazali; by every metric, Imam Ghazali surpasses Freud in terms of the respect accorded to women.
Therefore, let no one perpetrate such acts in this country in the name of Islam. In this land, there is absolutely no place for cutting off a woman’s nose, her ears, or any other form of such disrespect. And if someone justifies this by claiming "it is our tradition," they are wrong!
Violence against women signifies a social abnormality, not a tradition. Our tradition is respect. Our tradition is that we have had women who took the reins of leadership during the most difficult periods of this country’s history. We have had prominent women like Gawhar Shad or Sultana Razia. Our war-torn society must recognize its true past values rather than permitting hideous practices to prevail.
The Constitution is clear, and the first duty of the President under the Constitution is the implementation of the law. Therefore, I welcome the inauguration of this fund [The Trust Fund for Victims of Violence Against Women]. The state’s clear commitment is that the Sharia and legal rights of Afghan women must be enforced. Obviously, this cannot be achieved in a single day; however, our goal must be clear and our methodology principled. God willing, on behalf of the entire Cabinet, the government pledges to exert every possible effort.
I thank you all once again for taking this initiative. God willing, one of our greatest collective successes will be the prevention of such incidents—incidents that should have no basis in religion, culture, law, or in the interpersonal relationships between individuals.
Long live Afghanistan!