Women in Afghanistan: Regional Stakeholders Meeting
6-7 July 2009
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.
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 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 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.
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 with the help of the international community to follow-up on the implementation of the above recommendations, develop a long term strategy and will also pursue the establishment of a regional monitoring body to oversee the progress of UNSCR 1325 in Afghanistan and the region.