WUNRN
Afghanistan Ministry of Women's
Affairs Shares New Report on Violence Against Women
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UNAMA - United Nations Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN - WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION
ESSENTIAL FOR INCLUSIVE & CREDIBLE AFGHAN ELECTIONS
KABUL,
19 March 2014 – Women’s full participation in Afghanistan’s upcoming
Presidential and Provincial Councils is essential to ensure an inclusive and
credible electoral process, a senior official of the United Nations Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said today after meeting with civil society
representatives.
“The role of women cannot be overstated – elections can only
be truly representative and credible when women fully participate and are
included in all parts of the electoral process,” said the Secretary-General’s
Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and acting head of UNAMA,
Nicholas Haysom.
“It is encouraging that 35 per cent of newly-registered
voters are women, more than 300 women are standing as candidates for the
Provincial Council polls and three women are standing for the Vice-Presidency,”
he added. “The presence of female polling staff will be necessary to ensure
women’s participation in the elections together with female observers to
monitor female polling stations.”
The UN official had met with representatives from civil
society groups involved in women’s empowerment and defending women’s rights.
Mr. Haysom highlighted the great personal risk which women’s
rights activists routinely face to promote women’s full inclusion as
candidates, voters, election staff and observers. He also stressed the crucial
role that civil society plays in ensuring women’s voices are heard during the
election process.
UNAMA emphasizes that women’s full participation – as
candidates, electoral workers, observers and voters – is the civil and
political right of all women. Enhancing women’s participation in all stages of
the electoral process is vital for strengthening democracy in Afghanistan.
Elections provide a key opportunity for ensuring women’s concerns are addressed
and women’s essential role in the political, economic and social future of the
country is maximized.
The UN Mission notes that it is the responsibility of Afghan
authorities, political parties, candidates and civil society organizations to
take all necessary measures to improve and encourage the participation of women
in the elections.
Afghanistan is slated to hold Presidential and Provincial
Council elections on 5 April.