Kabul, Afghanistan – Afghan women have long been the target of violence and systemic injustice.  While Afghan women have taken dramatic strides forward, female participation and contribution to the justice sector is an area that has been drastically inadequate to address these social issues women face daily. A recent survey of the International Development Law Organization found that in 2013 Afghan women made up only eight percent of the country’s judges, six percent of prosecutors and less than one fifth of lawyers.

To address this issue, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with Afghanistan’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) launched a program placing 242 Afghan female Law and Sharia graduates in a six-month internship program in AGOs in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.  A key driver of these efforts is the commitment by the Attorney General office and the Office of the President to expand the number of female prosecutors.  The Attorney General has expressed his hope to triple the number of women prosecutors to 17 percent.

On Tuesday, US Ambassador Hugo Llorens, representatives from the US Government, USAID, Afghanistan’s Attorney General Mohammad Farid Hamidi, the Minister of Women’s Affairs Delbar Nazari, and other dignitaries welcomed a number of the interns at the US Embassy and recognized the challenges faced by the women of Afghanistan.

“We are here to celebrate these remarkable young women who are pioneers and future leaders of Afghanistan’s justice system and to celebrate their achievement, applaud their courage and inspire them to move forward and realize their dreams,” Ambassador Llorens said.  “As they do, they will be driving social change in Afghanistan and are key architects in creating a system of justice that promotes and protects all members of society.”

“We are committed to increasing the number of female prosecutors in the country, and address the issues so many Afghan women face through our justice system,” said Attorney General Hamidi. “We pledge our full support to the interns, and this program to address these lingering issues on a permanent basis.”

This program is funded under USAID’s Strengthening Education in Afghanistan, Phase II. The internship curricula includes: pre-entry training focusing on the development of practical skills, six months of internship in an AG Office; and a second week-long skills development workshop to provide additional training in the areas of legal writing, courtroom behavior, and the development of a network. The overall objective is to support the women in successfully completing their internships, to pass the open and merit-based AGO entrance examinations, and be employed in the AGO as female prosecutors.

With almost $17 billion spent on development programs in Afghanistan since 2002, USAID provides the largest bilateral civilian assistance program to Afghanistan. USAID partners with the government and people of Afghanistan to ensure economic growth led by the country’s private sector, to establish a democratic and capable state governed by the rule of law, and to provide basic health and education services for all Afghans.

• Press Release - USAID and Afghanistan Attorney General Launch Women’s Internship Program to Increase the Number of Women Prosecutors in Afghanistan (Dari)
• Press Release - USAID and Afghanistan Attorney General Launch Women’s Internship Program to Increase the Number of Women Prosecutors in Afghanistan (Pashto)