Peace without women meaningless, says Samar

KABUL Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) on Wednesday said the Afghan women should have ‘a meaningful and greater participation at all stages of the peace efforts.’

The survey was launched in Kabul in the presence of AIHRC head Sema Samar, acting Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabban, High Peace Council secretary Omar Daudzai and US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass.

A number of civil and women’s rights activists, who participated in the meeting, hoped the rights institution would conduct the national research on “women, peace and security” throughout the country.

As part of the research, around 2,000 women will be interviewed to record their wishes and demands about the peace process across the country, Samar told the meeting.

She said the study would be analyzed and evaluated by a fully impartial expert team and its results would be shared with the public through the media.

She said the situation in Afghanistan was complex because the conflict was not between two groups but regional counties were also involved in it.

She said the Afghan women needed a meaningful and more say in the peace process until a peace accord was implemented otherwise there would be no lasting peace.

According to her, still serious human rights violations happen in Afghanistan and those convicted of crimes against humanity are not being prosecuted.

She warned if human rights were not taken into account in the peace process and the system of impunity continued without a national reconciliation mechanism under the government umbrella, there would be no real peace and people would take personal revenge, as in the past.

“That form of peace will lose its meaning,” she said, emphasizing that women’s lack of access to education was one of the war effects on them. However, the younger generation had to a certain extent achieved their right to education, she said.

pk/ma

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