KABUL (SW) – The UN has called on all parties to the conflict to reduce violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, as a matter of urgency and to work towards creating a peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan.
In connection with the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said on Saturday that between January-September 2020, more than four out of every ten civilian casualties in Afghanistan were women and children.
It urged the men of Afghanistan to champion actions that help reduce the impact of insecurity and violence on women. “It is critical to remember that the Women, Peace and Security agenda is not an agenda about making conflicts safer for women –it is about ending conflict”, said UNAMA. It added that women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace negotiations is essential to achieving more sustainable peace; women bring unique and important perspectives to all aspects of the peace process, from negotiation to implementation, representing the full range of political, economic and social issues of importance to all Afghans.
“We reiterate our enduring support for the women and men on the negotiating team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan who are championing the rights of women. We support the many calls that the gains Afghan women have made towards participation in political, economic and social life must be preserved. It is the responsibility of all Afghans, as well as international and regional partners, to ensure that universal human rights for all are protected and further strengthened through the peace process”, said the Friends of Afghan Women Ambassadors’ Group
The Group is comprised of the chief representatives in Kabul of: Australia; Denmark; Aga Khan Development Network; Canada; the Netherlands; the Organization for Islamic Cooperation; Turkey; the United Kingdom; the United Nations and the United States.
Meanwhile, the NATO Senior Civilian Representative Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo has said women’s rights and women’s inclusion is not optional or negotiable. “It is the most powerful tool to reach peace & make it last. #NATO stands with the women of Afghanistan to advance lasting peace that benefit all Afghans”, he tweeted.
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