Subject: Appalling plight of women in Afghanistan two years after the overthrow of the Taliban regime

A recent Amnesty International Report notes the total failure of the international community and the Afghan Provisional Administration to make any substantial improvements in the situation of women in Afghanistan. Despite the fact that violations of women's rights were at the top of the agenda of the coalition which toppled the Taliban regime, the original promises have been forgotten. Owing to the inability of the international community to help the Afghan State establish the rule of law for all its citizens, Afghan women are still falling victim to various forms of violence, notably sexual violence, family violence and forced marriages.

Will the Commission say what actions it intends to take to bolster efforts to establish the rule of law in Afghanistan and, more particularly, to put an end to the continuing violations of women's human rights?