Ruth backs Afghani women’s rights

Ruth Cadbury MP has called for the Government to act over the continued decline in the rights of women and girls living in Afghanistan.

During Foreign and Commonwealth Questions last week July Ruth raised the impact that the defacto ban on female aid workers was having on female led households in Afghanistan, and warned that this was causing a delay in vital aid reaching families at risk.

Ruth asked the Government if they had carried out a risk assessment of this change and then pressed the Minister on what actions the Foreign Office had taken to raise this issue.

Speaking after her question Ruth said,

‘‘It has been heart-breaking to witness the huge decline in the rights of women and girls living in Afghanistan. With girls now unable to attend school after year 6, women unable to travel unaccompanied by a man and with female aid workers banned from working we’re seeing a huge erosion in the hard-won rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

I know that many people locally are extremely concerned about the situation in Afghanistan, especially those who still have family and friends in the country. The community across Hounslow have been amazing in providing support to those families who were forced to leave Afghanistan, yet it is clear the Government need to be acting to protect the rights of women and girls still in Afghanistan. That’s why I’ll continue to work to ensure the Government does everything it can to help women and girls in Afghanistan’’