UK to support Afghan women in elections

KABUL after foreign combat troops leave at the end of 2014. 

Warsi met Afghan deputy minister for women’s affairs Fawzia Habibi and prominent female parliamentarians Shukria Barakzai, Raihana Azad and Dr Nilofar Ibrahim and Malia Malikpour of Action Aid Afghanistan at the Foreign Office on Tuesday.

After the meeting, the UK minister acknowledged the challenges facing female parliamentarians as well as women voters across Afghanistan in the lead up to the April elections.

She underlined the UK’s commitment to supporting the participation of women in the political and electoral process, including through training female parliamentary and electoral officials.  

“It was a privilege to meet these inspirational women and to hear their views on how we can best work together to support women to play a greater role in political and economic life in Afghanistan,” Warsi said.

“These women are role models for thousands of young Afghans. They demonstrate that educated women can not only sit in Parliament, but be up front and involved in making decisions.  Next year’s elections will provide an important opportunity for more Afghan women to be part of the democratic process, which the UK is determined to support.” 

pr/ma

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