Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) on Sunday approved the law on prevention and prohibition of harassment of women and children in Afghanistan.
 
The three-Chapter, 29-Article legislation seeks to end harassment of women and children in the country, senators said.
 
Under the law, jail terms and cash fines will be imposed on perpetrators committing harassment against women and children.
 
“Today there are women who commit self-immolation and suicide, but why, because they are harassed beyond their patience and finally lose their tolerance,” Senator Anarkali Honaryar said.
 
“The Article 24 of the law states that whenever a person commits harassment against women and children in public places, special places and in vehicles or any other place, they will be fined 5,000 to 10,000 Afs,” another Senator Shafiqa Nawrozkhail said.
 
The senators also approved a law on military higher education institutes in six Chapters and four Articles.
 
The draft law was deadlocked in the national assembly over a number of controversial terminologies.
 
“Military higher education institutes are those academic institutions where professional and academic cadets are trained in bachelor and master levels. Scientific research is also conducted at these institutions,” said Mohammad Afzal, a senator.
 
Senators approved the legislations at a time that the higher education law has also been deadlocked over the past two years because of a number of controversial terminologies relating to the word university in local languagues.