WUNRN
Kabul
Declaration
Women in Afghanistan: Regional Stakeholders Meeting
6-7 July 2009
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the Gender Relevance of the
Hague Declaration
The meeting was organised by Afghan Women’s Network and Gender
Concerns International, with the participation of women leaders from
Afghanistan, Iran, India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The participants discussed
the relevance of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in promoting
peace, stability and development in Afghanistan and the region through the
increased involvement and participation of women. The group also discussed the
Hague Declaration and its impact on Afghanistan.
The regional context includes the women of Afghanistan, Iran, India,
Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikstan, and Uzbekistan. The group agreed
that considering the growing challenges for peace, security and development in
Afghanistan and the region, there is a strong need for the regional approach
which could also faciliate regional women interactions.
After intensive discussions the five country delegates present in the meeting,
concluded with the following recommendations regarding improving peace,
security and development in Afghanistan and its neigboring countries.
AFGHANISTAN:
Women’s Participation in the Peace Process
The participants agreed that peace is defined beyond the military strucures
of Police and army and in more comprehensive analysis could be described as
rule of law in conformance of national constitution and international human
rights.
Building on the comprehensive definition of the peace and security, the
government and the international community should ensure that security is
provided in its more comprehensive definition considering the special needs and
interests of women and children.
· The government and the
international community should ensure the implementation of International
Humanitarian Law during the conflict.
· In order to increase the number of
women in law enforcement agencies, the government and international community
needs to pay special attention to capacity development, affirmative action
special need and protection measures for women.
· Any peace negotiations should
ensure women participation and protect the Constitutional human rights of the
women.
· Serious disarmament should be
initiated by the Government and supported by the international community to
mitigate the threats that prevent women participation.
Women’s Political Participation and International Development Assistance
The meeting agreed that in confirmation with the Afghan National
Development Strategy (ANDS), 30% of government and political leadership
positions should be reserved for women who are effective and committed to the
women cause, at all levels inclduing the high level leadership. The Afghan
women movement is committed to assist the government in identifying these
women.
· The Government should take
concrete measures to ensure the proper implementation of the ANDS to improve
women’s participation in accordance to the above mentioned commitment.
· The international community should
mainstream gender concerns in all the programmes it supports and should also
lobby for more women’s participation in senior positions with in the
government.
· A percentage of development funds
should be agreed on for women-specific programmes es and initiatives.
· Civil society organisations
should strengthen their capacities to coordinate and network more effectively
for gender empowerment.
· The capacity of the parliament
should be strengthened to understand and support gender matters in order to
effectively monitor and hold accountable the executive agencies of the
government.
Security Reforms
The meeting participants agreed that security has many complex dimensions
such as physical, psychological, societal and military. Poverty aggravates insecurity
in the population, including among women and children.
· Government of Afghanistan should
speed up the establishment of a national action plan for the implementation of
UNSCR 1325.
· The governmnet of Afghanistan
should on urgent basis, initiate national policy and mechanism to eliminate the
sexual harassment in all governmental and non governmental working, educational
and public places.
· The government and international
community should recognise the role of communities and civil society groups to
determine and take ownership of any local development plans for creating
security in their lives.
The regional meeting proposes to the United Nations to assign a UN special
rapporteur for the monitoring the implementation of United Nations Security
Resolution 1325.
The participants from the five countries committed themselves to follow-up on
the implementation of the above recommendations and will also pursue the
establishment of a regional monitoring body to oversee the progress of UNSCR
1325 in Afghanistan and the region.
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