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 2012)
The Council is due to receive reports on the UN mission in Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), to review implementation of SCR 2011 (2011) on Afghanistan, and extend ISAF’s role beyond 13 October 2011, which expressly requires NATO/ISAF and the Afghanistan government to better protect and promote women’s rights. In the past year, there has been no evident progress in the proportion of women participating in political life. Women and defenders of their rights, including from the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, have continued to be targeted with impunity. The Council should ensure:
- The mandate of the ISAF Civilian Casualties Tracking Cell is fully resourced, and is expanded to cover “other government agencies,” i.e. the various intelligence agencies and private contractors;
- The strengthening of ANSF oversight and accountability mechanisms to protect civilians from attacks by its personnel. An independent and adequately resourced police ombudsperson should be established to investigate complaints against the police, and of police failure to investigate crimes against women;
- Greater efforts to meaningfully include Afghan women and their security concerns in reintegration and reconciliation discussions, and support to more women seeking to become High Peace Council members. Members of the Afghan government and insurgent groups must not be granted impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity; and
- The assessment of transition of security responsibility to the national security forces includes a gender analysis.
The Council is due to receive reports on the UN mission in Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), to review implementation of SCR 2011 (2011) on Afghanistan, and extend ISAF’s role beyond 13 October 2011, which expressly requires NATO/ISAF and the Afghanistan government to better protect and promote women’s rights. In the past year, there has been no evident progress in the proportion of women participating in political life. Women and defenders of their rights, including from the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, have continued to be targeted with impunity. The Council should ensure:
- The mandate of the ISAF Civilian Casualties Tracking Cell is fully resourced, and is expanded to cover “other government agencies,” i.e. the various intelligence agencies and private contractors;
- The strengthening of ANSF oversight and accountability mechanisms to protect civilians from attacks by its personnel. An independent and adequately resourced police ombudsperson should be established to investigate complaints against the police, and of police failure to investigate crimes against women;
- Greater efforts to meaningfully include Afghan women and their security concerns in reintegration and reconciliation discussions, and support to more women seeking to become High Peace Council members. Members of the Afghan government and insurgent groups must not be granted impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity; and
- The assessment of transition of security responsibility to the national security forces includes a gender analysis.
Relevant Resources
