Valerie supports Afghan Women’s rights

Valerie highlighted women’s rights in Afghanistan by attending a campaign event led by ActionAid UK, Amnesty International UK, CARE UK, GAPS, Womankind Worldwide and Women for Women Internationalin Parliament.

Valerie said:

 “This is an important campaign which I am very pleased to support. Many of my constituents have written to me on this topic and I have written to the Foreign Secretary to highlight this issue. The human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan should be at the  centre of peace negotiations. “

18,000 campaigners petitioned the UK government to support Afghan women’s rights, with more than 8,000 handmade kites being designed by campaigners from around the country to symbolise their support for women’s rights in Afghanistan. This was raised at the international conference on Afghanistan in Bonn, Germany, on the 5th of December 2011.

Campaigners are using the kite symbol because in Afghanistan women and girls make kites but are effectively prevented from  flying them.