Afghan women urge long- term foreign help

KABUL and called for preserving the gains made over the past decade.

The Afghan Women’s Network (AWN) consulted 500 women leaders, representing 500,000 women, from more than 20 provinces on November 23, 2011, the network said in a statement.

In a declaration at the end of the consultation, the participants demanded the elected government confirm its commitment to protecting and promoting their rights during security transition and post-transition processes.

“We expect to see more practical measures implemented by the government to comply with its human rights obligations as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution,” the declaration said.

They expressed strong support for the recommendations outlined in the Afghan Women Position Paper, launched by AWN in October 2011 and stood in solidarity with their sisters participating on their behalf at the International Conference on Afghanistan in Bonn.

They called on the government and its international allies to strengthen measures against the widespread corruption and embezzlement within the government system.

The women said their mobility had been impacted after the first phase of the security transition particularly in provinces such as Laghman. “In some areas, female government employees have been threatened. We fear that women in provinces yet more debilitated by conflict will experience these trends more acutely as transition progresses across the country.”

They called for a systematic approach to consultation with women in communities and women groups before and during the transition process to ensure their voices and perspectives were part of the implementation and monitoring of transition.

They believed a strong rule of law and accountable justice system would provide the best remedy for the increasing lack of trust among Afghan citizens and their government.

Pr/ma

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