Women's Genuine Representation in Upcoming International Consultations on Afghanistan is demanded
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Women’s Genuine Representation in Upcoming International Consultations on Afghanistan is demanded
International women organizations need to lobby their own government
for an effective and inclusive gender policy implementation in Afghanistan
“International Community and President Karzai should include women in Kabul Conference and in Peace Loya Jirga”
New York and The Hague 8th March 2010,
This afternoon a side event to the UN CSW 54th session was organized on International Women’s Day, at the UN Plaza Building in New York titled ‘Women at the Flash Point-2: Security and Governance Concerns; Implementation UNSCR 1325: Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries’. The event was organized by Gender Concerns International as a follow-up to the Kabul and The Hague conferences of July 2009 and January 2010 and was aimed at highlighting the security and governance concerns of women in Afghanistan and the neighbouring countries.
The event concluded that:
1- The International women’s organizations need to support Afghan women by Advocacy & Lobby to their own government on the necessity of women’s participation in peace, security and governance decision-making processes.
2- The proposed International Conference to be held in May in Kabul must include Afghan and International women’s organizations and organizations with a focus on gender concerns.
The special experts panel at the 8th March event included Afifa Azim, Director of the Afghan Women’s Network, Sarah Taylor, Executive Coordinator of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, New York and Robert Dijksterhuis Head of the Gender Division of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Head of Dutch Delegation to the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The meeting was presided by Sabra Bano, Director Gender Concerns International and was concluded with the remarks of Alice Bouman-Dentener, President of the Women for Water Partnership.
The panel experts agreed that the international community should fulfil its commitment to support women in Afghanistan and that the Peace should not be compromised at all cost and that the women’s rights should be guarded with all means available.
Afifa Azim demanded that the International Community and President Karzai must “ensure women’s engagement in all negotiations concerning the development of Afghanistan and women should participate in the upcoming May International Conference and the Peace Loya Jirga.”
Sarah Taylor emphasized the need of efficiency of UN Institutions in promoting Human Rights and especially the Rights of women in Afghanistan. She said that “the UN Security Council should not become a resolution producing body but it must speak for the mechanisms that ensure effective implementation of past resolutions”. She was referring to UN Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888 and 1889 on Women, Peace and Security.
Robert Dijksterhuis reaffirmed the Dutch commitment by stating that the Government strongly supports initiatives concerning the interest of the women of Afghanistan, especially in Uruzgan, as well as a broader commitment to peace and security in Afghanistan. “The Dutch Government is keen to do whatever it can to implement Security Council Resolution 1325. Women’s issues are vital to the Dutch policy of Defence, Diplomacy and Development.” The Dutch Government has supported the Regional Women’s Stakeholders Meeting in Kabul last July and also the follow up, The Hague Conference that took place on January 14th, 2010.
The Concluding Remarks of the 8th March event were made by Alice Bouman-Dentener, who said that women should not be treated as victims but rather as agents of change. Women’s role as leaders needs to be recognized by governments and other sectors in society to facilitate and support the work of women’s organisations.
The meeting was chaired by Sabra Bano, who urged the international community to include women’s organizations of both Afghan and International origin in future security and governance consultation on Afghanistan and Pakistan. “Those women’s organizations that are working on women’s issues in Afghanistan should be included in the processes that determine the future of Afghanistan, such as the proposed upcoming International Kabul Conference to be held in May 2010.” She further added that Gender Concerns International has been promoting women’s participation in international consultations on Afghanistan. Since the past few years the organisation has been engaged in bringing various regional and international stakeholders together on this issue. The Kabul and The Hague Conferences and Brussels, Washington and London Consultations have been concluded successfully. The 8th March UN CSW Side Event was a successful event and it is hoped that it has helped NGO and government representatives to share their own interests and find synergies to act mutually in order to bring peace, security and development in Afghanistan and the region.
End of the press release
For further information please contact:
Gender Concerns International
Phone: 00 31 (070) 4445082 Mobile: 06 53965784
Laan van Meerdervoort 70 2517 AN, The Hague
Email: Lieke@genderconcerns.org Site: www.genderconcerns.org