Afghan Women call for fair and lasting peace, and lasting peace requires the full, equal and meaningful participation of women

Press Release

Serial no: 75

Kabul- Afghanistan

Note to Correspondents: This release outlines the position of Afghan Women’s in negotiating peace in Afghanistan and provides detailed recommendations for improving peace to the Government and the International Community

Afghan Women call for fair and lasting peace, and lasting peace requires the full, equal and meaningful participation of women

We, Afghan women welcome the any steps headed for bringing peace in Afghanistan. However, sustainable peace requires the equal participation of the Afghan people, both men and women.

Over the past four decades, Afghan women have suffered many violations of their rights. Ongoing violence and armed conflict have restrained women and girls progress and, as a result, the country has lagged because it has failed to use half of population’s abilities for the development of society. The devastation of the civil war and the Taliban era brought Afghan women closer to the darkness and the country in isolation and disgust. During these years, women were deprived of their basic rights, such as access to education, health, political engagement, economic, and social participation. Following the 2001 transformations, women were able to strengthen their political, economic and social presence through their continuous efforts to advance their status and respect for their rights in various fields.

Afghan women continue to play a decisive role in building a government that is responsive to its people and bringing about positive changes in their community, whether as teachers, doctors, engineers, judges, journalists, civil society activists, police and defense forces, business people, politicians, and more. Afghan women, who comprise approximately 51% of Afghanistan's population, have continued to play an active role in promoting peaceful, safe and non-violent communities. Women, at the community level, have the strength, capacity, and insight to identify early warning signs of violence and conflict and have continuously engaged their communities, including young people, to prevent turns to violence and the joining armed groups.  

Women welcome the efforts and efforts that are being made to bring lasting peace in Afghanistan. Peace will only be sustainable if people are accompanied by it. Therefore, we want community-based peace through the sharing of women, victims and followers of the war in Afghanistan at the local and national levels. Women in the wake of their participation at the 2010 National Peace Consultative Jirga have called for a clear settlement of peace and reconciliation.

Also, by reviewing the peace strategy of that time, women refugees also appealed for the integration of dissidents with their families and for providing all the comfort of life for the families of the opposition. The Afghan Women's Network welcomed the call for peace at the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan in November 2018 and emphasized the active and meaningful role of women in all peace processes and peaceful negotiations.

Despite the fact that women have been strong and powerful in promoting a culture of peace and bringing peace, they have not been included in official and informal national and international meetings on Afghanistan's peace process. The use of the symbolic presence of women in the High Peace Council and the involvement of these women in important political and national discussions on peace for women of other ages is unacceptable.

Women do not want and will not be allowed to fall victim to the after-government dealings of the government, the international community, political parties and opposition factions. Afghan women do not give any group the right to engage in women's achievements, participation and rights. The lack of support by the United States and the international community for the meaningful and effective participation of women in the preparatory process for the peace process is questionable and can well question the 2001 human rights obligations of these states and address the achievements of women over the past 17 years. Negative effect.

Afghan women offer the following recommendations for full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in the peace process:

To the government of national unity:

1. Afghan Women call for their active participation in all peace talks. Women have knowledge, solutions and key suggestions. Any formal and informal gatherings and initiatives that do not include Afghan women and war victims will not be legitimated by women. We further demand the implementation of Afghanistan National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security.
2. Afghan Women want inclusive peace. The Afghanistan peace process needs to be reviewed. We emphasize on National Unity Government to include people with expertise in peace processes, mediation, facilitation and negotiation, so that professional and practical peace process can be reached with an acceptable achievement for all Afghans, including women.
3. Afghan women demand a peace process that is transparent and accountable. The current peace process in Afghanistan needs to be vigorously monitored so that red lines, the protection of women’s human rights, the rights of victims of violence and armed conflict are seriously reflected and the peace process fosters strongly condemns any cultures of impunity.
4. The religion of Islam and the constitution of Afghanistan provide equal rights for women and men. No national and foreign groups can represent the views, needs and recommendations of 15 million Afghan women.

To the international community, especially the countries involved in the Afghan peace process:

1. Afghan women focus to participate equally and meaningfully in all peace talks with opposition groups. We emphasize and call for the strong presence of women in peace talks so that women can share their concerns, propose solutions, and take an active role in decision-making.
2. Any kind of facilitation and direct communication with the Taliban will be imperfect in the absence of half of Afghanistan population (women). We call for serious consideration of discussions and decisions of different indulged governments in Afghanistan peace talks, assuring women's participation, inclusiveness of the process, and transparency and accountability.
3. Achievements and advancements of Afghan women should not be the victim of the deals and decisions of the international community, political parties and factions involved in the war in Afghanistan. We do not accept any pre-conditions preventing the participation of women in the peace process and the denial of Afghan women's rights.
4. Afghan women in the course of national and international discussions to policy makers in relation to progress and development at all levels emphasized maintaining the achievements of the past two decades in Afghanistan and support and focus on the achievements.
5. We call on international counterparts and regional countries to seriously support the peace process and find implementing mechanisms to reach these goals in consideration of Afghanistan Constitution and National Values.