Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has been engulfed in violent armed conflict since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, and efforts to build sustainable peace while preventing the re-establishment of extremist rule depend on the inclusion of women.
Living in the most dangerous place in the world to be a woman, as the Thomas Reuters Foundation revealed in 2011, Afghani women have emerged as leaders in the peace process— advocating constantly for more inclusive government, and inspiring marginalized groups nationwide to demand a place in the political system. Despite the important role that Afghani women play in bringing about social change in Afghanistan, many barriers to their involvement still exist.
Based on the work of NGOWG members and their partners, the NGOWG advocates for eliminating these barriers by encouraging UNAMA to support the Afghan government in fully implementing the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP), and ensuring women’s full and equal participation in regularly held elections.
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Afghanistan (September 2018)
In its discussion of the report on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the Council should ensure that gender is a cross-cutting issue across any consultations, briefings and potential action. It is imperative that gender analysis is mainstreamed throughout the report. In discussions of the forthcoming parliamentary and district council elections, announced by the Independent Election Commission to take place on 20 October 2018, it is crucial that challenges to women’s participation are a particular focus. According to the Secretary-General (S/2018/539), as of May only 28% of registered voters are women; urgent efforts are needed by international partners to provide concrete support for women’s groups to ensure women’s full participation in every aspect of the electoral process. The international community must demonstrate its continued commitment to the Afghan people by supporting women’s voices in any peace process as well as peace and security decision-making, including through support of the implementation and localization of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda, particularly given the sustained violence against women leaders and human rights defenders (HRDs) (S/RES/2242 (2015)).
Relevant Resources
