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Afghanistan’s human rights situation remains grim

January 2009: Millions of people in Afghanistan are living in poverty, lack access to basic services and are vulnerable to violence despite international help, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission says in a new report.

Millions of people in Afghanistan are living in poverty, are short of food, lack access to basic services, and are vulnerable to violence despite seven years of international help, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) says in a new report.

The AIHRC’s Third National Socio-Economic Report highlights the challenges facing most ordinary Afghans.

"Most of the vulnerable and isolated areas are without food, and this winter this will cause them major problems," said the report, adding that aid agencies and the government must work to together to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

"Thirty-seven per cent of vulnerable populations [vulnerable people living on less than US$2 per day make up 40 percent of the total population according to some estimates] make less than 50 Afghanis [less than US$1] per day," said the report released in English, Dari and Pashto last month.

Most rural Afghans do not have access to safe drinking water and sanitation, while many returnees from neighbouring countries and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are living in dire conditions.

The government, its partners and aid organisations have failed to meet the needs of millions of returnees from Iran and Pakistan, some of whom have become IDPs and live in makeshift settlements, the report said.

It said 30 per cent of those living in rural areas do not have access to public or private health services.

Plight of children

More than half of the country's estimated 26.6 million people are under 17, according to aid agencies, but most have a difficult life.

"Child labour is prevalent in Afghanistan," with most children doing onerous jobs which expose them to serious physical and mental harm, it said.

Children, especially girls, also suffer widespread domestic violence and are often forced into early marriage. "Fifty-five per cent of underage marriages were [designed] to solve economic problems," the report said.

Many children, particularly females, are denied the right to education. As a result of attacks on schools, 108 people were killed and 154 injured in 2007. "Only 11 per cent of boys and five per cent of girls in primary schools carry on to grade 12," according to the report.

The AIHRC called on the government and US-led international forces to boost security, protect health facilities, and also ensure greater effectiveness in the way in which international aid is coordinated and delivered.

The cost of conflict

The AIHRC has also expressed its deep concern about the increase in civilian casualties from the ongoing conflict, the impact of fighting on the lives of ordinary Afghans and its consequences for reconstruction efforts in different parts of the country.

In two separate reports – Anti-Government Forces’ Abuses against Civilians and From Hope to Fear: an Afghan Perspective on Operations of Pro-Government Forces – the AIHRC has documented a wide range of human rights violations by all parties to the conflict between July 2007 and September 2008.

It found that anti-government elements failed to differentiate between military and civilian targets and had deliberately targeted doctors, teachers, students, journalists, tribal leaders, civil government staff and laborers who were involved in development, reconstruction and humanitarian aid projects.

“They have targeted anyone who has been associated with the government or international forces, including civilians, and considered them as enemies or legitimate military targets,” the AIHRC said, adding that these attacks often had a profound effect on communities in which they occurred.

“Attacks on schools and teachers have caused children not to have access to education, and attacks on medical centers and denying the provision of medical supplies has damaged the public’s accessibility to medical services,” it noted.

The AIHRC also reported that heavy reliance of pro-government forces on air strikes resulted in high numbers of civilian casualties and damage to property.

“This situation has created a perception among Afghans that the pro-government forces are indifferent to civilian casualties and have not tried hard enough to protect civilians and their property during their operations.”

Night time house raids by international forces, especially when conducted aggressively towards women, children and elderly people or which violated traditional customs, were of a matter of high concern.

“These methods and actions have angered Afghans. Another main concern in this area is the lack of accountability for the night raids,” the AIHRC said.

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