Afghanistan
Over the past eight years, we have kept those promises to the best of our abi...
Over the past eight years, we have kept those promises to the best of our ability. The Afghan Constitution guarantees equal rights to women and representation in the Government. Afghanistan has endorsed the Millennium Development Goals, is a signatory to the Beijing Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, fully supports the implementation of resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), and has put in place a legal and political framework that protects and promotes the rights of women. Beyond these legal initiatives, Afghan women have seen tangible improvements in their daily lives, including improved access to education, health care and basic infrastructure. Afghanistan's national action plan for women ensures that women and girls receive equal access to these resources.
Further, and perhaps most importantly, Afghan women now play an active role i...
Further, and perhaps most importantly, Afghan women now play an active role in the socio-political life of Afghanistan. Women have been appointed to high governmental posts and comprise a guaranteed percentage of representation in local and national governing bodies alike. In the most recent election, women ran for positions in provincial councils in greater numbers than ever before, and there were even two female candidates for President. More than 60,000 women were trained and volunteered as observers, poll workers and ballot counters. And, despite the increasingly turbulent security situation, more than 2 million women across the country came out to vote. Despite these positive developments, Afghan women do not enjoy the freedom and security they deserve. In order to fully satisfy our promise to the women of Afghanistan, we need to understand the roots of the problems as well as the situations today that frustrate our efforts.
First, enduring insecurity has always played a central role in women's suffer...
First, enduring insecurity has always played a central role in women's suffering in Afghanistan. In the past, insecurity caused a complete breakdown in infrastructure and resources, resulting in backbreaking poverty and lack of access to health care and basic education. Today, restricted access to the most insecure parts of the country perpetuates this situation and hinders progress. The Taliban is increasingly targeting civilians, particularly women and girls, to deny them access to basic services and rights. In addition, insecurity promotes a gun culture that values brute force over the rule of law. The resulting danger keeps women confined to their homes out of fear for their safety and honour, further restricting their access to services and public life.
Secondly, extremist ideologies of oppression have primarily threatened women ...
Secondly, extremist ideologies of oppression have primarily threatened women over the past 30 years. Throughout the 1990s, the Taliban and other armed groups engaged in severe violence against women. Crimes against women, including sexual violence and forced marriage, were justified and protected by extremists. Unfortunately, as long as insecurity and extremism persist, Afghanistan cannot be freed from this perversion of perspective and action regarding women.
In addition to those root causes, weak and fragile State institutions in part...
In addition to those root causes, weak and fragile State institutions in parts of Afghanistan have, regrettably, restricted the Government's ability to fully protect the rights of women. An infant justice system and police force do not yet have the training or the resources to adequately investigate, prosecute and punish crimes. And our underdeveloped bureaucracy has not yet acquired the capacities necessary to meet the demands placed upon it. In Afghanistan, there is not a lack of will for progress, but circumstances have proved to be a formidable opponent to its achievement. Despite these continuing challenges, Afghanistan is committed to ensuring that all women fully enjoy their rights in safety. With the help and support of the international community, we are addressing weak and insufficient governance through capacity-building and the strengthening of our institutions and our security apparatus. In that regard, we emphasize the importance of the new focus of the international forces on protecting the population, which will help to minimize violence against women. Further, we are continually trying to improve the legal status of Afghan women and to uphold international juridical and legislative standards, for example through the review of more than 60 of the more controversial articles of the proposed Shia family relations law.
The Government of Afghanistan is committed to representing the interests of a...
The Government of Afghanistan is committed to representing the interests of all Afghans, male and female, young and old. We are encouraging Afghan women to take a proactive and vocal role in their future, as that is essential to re-weaving the economic, social and political fabric of Afghanistan. Above all, in our political pursuit of national reconciliation, we must not break the promise that we made to ourselves and to Afghan women in 2001. We cannot betray women's rights and security in exchange for a shallow peace in Afghanistan, because, in doing so, we would betray our own hope for a stable future. Instead, we must unite around the ideal of equal justice and rights for all.