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AFGHANISTAN - ANY AGREEMENT
WITH TALIBAN MUST
INCLUDE WOMEN'S RIGHTS - UN
CEDAW COMMITTEE
GENEVA (5 February 2010) - The Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women said Friday that “any agreement reached with the Taliban in Afghanistan should include a clear commitment to respect and protect women’s human rights.” The Committee urged the Afghan government and its international allies “to ensure that women representatives are included in the upcoming peace and development dialogues and negotiations with the Taliban,”
The
UN body, which consists of 23 experts on women’s rights, also expressed its
deep concern at the exclusion of Afghan women from the high decision-making
level of the 28 January London Conference, as well as at “the absence of clear
strategies to protect women’s rights in the process of the discussions leading
to negotiations with representatives of the Taliban.” The Committee pointed out
that there are two Security Council Resolutions which underscore the importance
of women’s active participation in all peace-building efforts and recovery.*
“Afghan
women, who constitute the majority of the Afghan population, must be full and
equal participants in decision-making, at all levels, in the process of
peace-building, reconciliation, reconstruction and development of their
country,” the Committee said. “Their voices and views, as well as capacities,
are fundamental and necessary for the sustainable establishment of a prosperous
and peaceful Afghanistan, based on the rule of law, democracy, justice, human
rights and gender equality.”
The
Committee also urged the Afghan government to give special attention to a
critical review of all discriminatory laws and provisions, based on the
Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against the Women
(CEDAW). The women’s rights experts drew particular attention to the
much-criticized new personal status law of the Shiite minorities, which is
especially discriminatory against women.
While
welcoming the current commitment and efforts of the government and its
international allies to help secure a peaceful, prosperous and democratic
future for Afghanistan, the Committee reminded the Afghan authorities of its
obligations under the CEDAW Convention, and urged them to modify or repeal the
discriminatory provisions in the personal status and other laws.
The
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women is the body that
monitors the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women, which has been ratified by 186 States. A
total of 104 experts have served as members of the Committee since 1982. The
statement on Afghanistan was issued at the end its 45th session in Geneva on
Friday.
(*)
Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008)
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