Women, civil society role vital for sustainable peace, reconciliation

KABUL was ignored during the meeting.

Addressing a gathering on “Peace that protects civil values and participation of masses” the participants from the Afghan Women Network and the Women Advocacy Committee underlined the importance of women role in the Afghan peace and reconciliation process.

The role of women and civil society activists had been ignored since the launched of efforts for peace and reconciliation which included the meetings of US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Moscow meeting.

Abdullah Ahmadi, the working group member of the civil society, said all the meetings subject to peace and reconciliation saw rare participation of women.

He said the weak participation of women and civil society members in the intra-Afghan talks was one of the huge concerns of women activists and civil society members.

Humaira Saqib, head of the Afghanistan Women Reporters criticised the non-participation of women and civil society members in peace parleys and added they could reflect the will of the people through their participation.

She said women participation could ensure the establishment of a just and sustainable peace and reconciliation process.

The two-day intra-Afghan meeting in Moscow, the capital of Russian and attended by key Afghan political figures including the Taliban who had launched direct talks with the US to end the 19-year-old war.

Four presidential candidates Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Zalmay Rasoul, Anwar-ul-Haq Ulumi, Abdul Latif Pedram, representatives of the Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan, Wahdat-i-Islami, Jumbesh-i-Melli, women representatives, civil society activist and journalist took part.

Experts termed the Moscow meeting a positive step in the way of peace and reconciliation in the war-torn country, while others dubbed it a failed attempt because the Kabul administration was missing.

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