[{"bbox": [143, 148, 1087, 279], "category": "Text", "text": "delivery, including the new Citizen's Charter programme, the agriculture, rural development and health programmes; promote gender equality, notably Women's Economic Empowerment and maintain social safety nets; and (iii) fight corruption with particular attention to areas vulnerable to financial leakages and those where revenue collection can be increased."}, {"bbox": [160, 296, 498, 323], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 1.2 Other areas of assessment"}, {"bbox": [143, 336, 433, 363], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 1.2.1 Fundamental values"}, {"bbox": [143, 378, 1087, 541], "category": "Text", "text": "Respect for fundamental values remains a major concern for Afghanistan and the government faces many challenges in this fragile period of transition and nation building, compounded lately also by identity politics. Security risks have increased since the withdrawal of international troops and continued to do so throughout 2017, which also had an impact on the rule of law, democracy and human rights."}, {"bbox": [143, 544, 1087, 1006], "category": "Text", "text": "The Human Rights situation remains precarious in Afghanistan, especially with regard to women's and children's rights and the situation of human rights defenders and, to a lesser extent, the media. Gender-based violence is not sufficiently addressed; cases of torture and inhumane practices are still being reported as well as social discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities. However, steps have been taken and there is an expressed commitment of the Afghan Government to advance in promoting human rights within the country. Even though the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan remains serious, the Government has shown its commitment to improve Women's Rights. The Government is still in the process of finalising the draft Child Act. There are approximately 700 persons on death row, and lately 5 executions were carried out in November 2017. The new penal code still holds the death penalty; however, there is a decrease in the number of crimes where capital punishment applies and the code introduces punitive measures for perpetrators of torture and ill-treatment. While the Government has not signed the *Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture*, it has adopted a new law on Combating Torture."}, {"bbox": [143, 1010, 1087, 1206], "category": "Text", "text": "Parliamentary oversight is hampered by a fragmentized political landscape that favours individual rent-seeking, as well as by delays in organizing elections. Electoral reform has yet to be fully implemented to complete democratic transition following the 2014 presidential elections. Although the government claims to be committed to credible, inclusive and transparent elections in 2018 (Parliamentary and District) and 2019 (Presidential and Provincial), the electoral process faces many challenges, including security constraints."}, {"bbox": [143, 1209, 1087, 1405], "category": "Text", "text": "Public institutions are undermined by a lack of capacities, a legacy of impunity and corruption in areas where the state interacts with its citizens and where controls are insufficient. Corruption is an evident risk in all sectors and for all donors operating in Afghanistan with off-budget and on-budget operations. Government's international commitments to address pervasive corruption are at the core of measuring Afghanistan's progress in this regard - relating to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)¹² as well as bi-lateral or multilateral donor"}, {"bbox": [143, 1448, 1087, 1539], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹² Afghanistan's international obligation regarding prevention and prosecution of corruption stems primarily from the UNCAC, which Afghanistan signed on 20 February 2004 and ratified on 25 August 2008. The UNCAC's Implementation Review Mechanism concluded the first review cycle related to criminalization and prosecution and reported on Afghanistan in November 2016. The second review cycle related to preventive measures is ongoing and will be reported on by mid-2018."}, {"bbox": [604, 1605, 631, 1629], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "[9]"}]