Message from the Ambassador, April 2009

In the past month or so, much controversy was ignited by media reports about the passing of a new law in Afghanistan – the Shia Personal Status Law. News of the finalisation of the law was met not only with strong protests from governments and human rights organisations from around the world, but also with strong demonstrations within Afghanistan, particularly from
Afghan women’s groups, women parliamentarians and human rights circles across the country, who held that the law was contrary to Afghanistan’s Constitution.

Those of you who follow Afghanistan closely will know that it was undoubtedly a very good step for Afghanistan to legislate, for the first time in the country’s history, in the interest of the Shia religious minority. On the other hand, you would be justified to expect that the goal of strengthening pluralism within the Afghan society should be pursued in a manner that is consistent with the values enshrined in the Constitution as well as universally accepted norms.

It was with this principle in mind that President Hamid Karzai halted the gazetting of the law and ordered the relevant legal institution, the Ministry of Justice, to undertake a thorough review of the content of the law. It is expected that, as a result of the review, the revised law will be consistent both with the Constitution and with Afghanistan’s treaty obligations in international law.

Jawed Ludin,
Ambassador


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