Afghan mothers' names allowed on birth certificates

There is a victory for women's rights in Afghanistan. The names of mothers can be put on children's birth certificates. For hundreds of years, only the father's name was allowed. Afghanistan has said a new law means the mother's name can be put on certificates. Campaigners started a social media campaign in 2017 to fight for this. In Afghanistan, a woman's name is often not included on wedding invitations.

Afghanistan called the law, "a big step forward for women's rights". A campaigner said: "By printing her name, we give the mother power…to be a mother who can, without the presence of a man…enroll her children in school and travel." Another campaigner said: "My…happiness may seem ridiculous for women in other countries, but when we live in a society where women are…excluded, achieving such basic rights is a big…task."