Almost 50 percent of Afghan women neglect to claim their share of family inheritance because customs and traditions rule Afghan society, officials in the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Wednesday.   

“We had cases that women and girls were ready to accept less money or less of a share of their inheritance to maintain support for other family members who share in the same inheritance,” said Shabnam Tawangar, a senior legal advisor at the council.

Shahla, 51, a resident of Kabul, says she has been trying for the past six years to claim her inheritance share from her brothers.

“My part in the inheritance is land an area of 50 square meters. I would have given my share to my brothers if they treated me well. They claimed the money from renting the house with my share for 42 years, but I did not say anything. I told my brother he is a disabled person, so he should benefit from the property,” Shahla said.

Some female religious scholars have said inheritance for women is clearly mentioned and ordered in the Holly Quran.

“Men have to give a woman their share of inheritance based on the Holy Quran if she is their sister or daughter,” said Sayed Abdulhadi Hedayat, a religious scholar.

Scholars said they believe that the lack of public awareness about the orders and teachings of Islam and the Holy Quran is the main reason behind men’s ignorance to give women their inheritance.