GENEVA: The fate of Afghanistan's women hangs in the balance as the 2014 withdrawal of international forces looms, a UN human rights watchdog warned yesterday, denouncing a raft of abuses there.
"We are worried about Afghanistan because we're at a decisive moment," said Nicole Ameline, head of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
"If we don't manage to preserve the rights of women after having devoted so much energy, resources and support in all forms in this country, it will mark a failure by the international community," she told reporters.
Ameline's comments came after the committee examined Afghanistan's record under procedures for the regular review of UN member states.
During a review session, the Afghan government insisted that women's rights were "non-negotiable", she noted. AFP
