Dear friends across the world,
|
The family members who tortured a 12-year old child bride have just been released early from prison and now Afghan lawmakers want to pass a law to ensure that family members can never testify as witnesses. This is a green light for more women and girls to be abused at home, but we can stop the law if our outcry is loud enough! Click to sign!
|
Sold into marriage at 12, Sahar Gul lived in a house of horrors. Her in-laws chained her in the basement, beat her with red hot iron pipes, starved her and pulled out all her fingernails when she refused to prostitute herself for them.
Her attackers’ sentence was reduced to one year, and now they’re free again! And, worse, the Lower House of Parliament just passed a bill that would ban victims’ family members testifying in court. This would prevent countless children and women from getting justice.
Sahar’s lawyers are fighting back, but they need our help to stop the Upper House passing this bill! Let’s call on President Karzai to step in -- he’s concerned about this, and targeted international pressure can make the difference. Sign now to stand with Afghan women and prevent their justice system being disastrously weakened!
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/justice_for_sahar_gul_c/?bLfEcab&v=27226
Avaaz have another campaign that I believe justifiably belongs alongside the Afghanistan one:
'Ending the War on Women
In India, a 23-year-old student was brutally raped on a bus, then died from her injuries. In the Maldives, a 15 year-old girl was sentenced to flogging for having sex outside marriage. In Somalia, a young woman was brutally gang-raped by the security forces that were supposed to protect her.
In each case Avaaz members have helped turn horror into hope, amplifying millions of our voices in the media to pressure governments to pass stronger laws to protect women. In the Maldives, our campaign threatening tourism got us an open door to top political leaders, who said the girl would not be flogged for now, and a poll commissioned by Avaaz hit the front pages showing citizens wanted the laws changed. In India, a big pink bus with a larger than life fake PM Singh touting our message was driven through the streets of Delhi, and there is now growing interest in our call for a massive public education campaign challenging out of date attitudes towards women. These are just the tips of the iceberg in our fight to end misogyny.'
Their campaigns are having positive effects and also have contributed to several successful causes. Please support them everybody, their actions are diverse and meaningful, so please have a look.