Hamid Karzai backs restrictive code for women

'Afghanistan's president endorses 'code of conduct' which activists say is a giant step backward for women's rights'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/06/hamid-karzai-restricive-code-women-afghanistan?INTCMP=SRCH

 This extremely worrying development almost slipped under the news radar. It is now extremely important that Human Rights organisations  such as Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, backed by active citizens and all those who are concerned to defend women’s rights to put maximum pressure on western governments to place pressure on the Karzai regime to reject these measures.

Karzai is able to hold onto power only through the financial backing of western governments and more painfully as a consequence of the human treasure expended in terms of the lives of young British American and other NATO armies, men and women, who are fighting against forces seeking to re-impose medieval barbarism.

I write this as the news of six young British servicemen has just been lost in Afghanistan. It would be a travesty and disgrace if the lives of these young men were expended only to see a return to Taliban rule by the back door. Karzai should be told in no uncertain terms that these ‘codes of conduct’ are totally unacceptable and should threaten to pull the plug on him unless basic standards of Human Rights, in line with the UN charter are upheld. I will be writing to my MP to this effect, can I suggest you do the same to your congressional representative or other democratically elected official.

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