AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan's current NAP launched in 2015 for 2015-2022, with a the possibility of a future NAP remaining unclear under the new government.
Objectives/Aims:
- Increase effective participation of women in the decision‐making and executive levels of the Civil Service.
- Women’s active and effective participation in leadership positions in security agencies.
- The protection of women from all forms of violence and discrimination through the enforcement, monitoring and amendment of existing laws and development of new laws and policies.
- The protection of women from all forms of violence through awareness raising and public outreach.
- Strengthen the role of women in the security sector and judicial structures.
- Prevention of violence against women.
- Provision of relief and recovery services for women affected by conflict, IDPs and women survivors of violence.
- Increasing rural women’s economic security through increased employment opportunities
- Increase access for girls and women to education, healthcare services, and employment, particularly for refugees, the internally displaced, and returnees.
- The implementation of the IDP Policy provisions related to UNSCR 1325.
Commentary:
Afghanistan has been ravaged by insecurity, violent conflict and political instability since 2001. The war has had and continues to have a devastating impact on women and children. Local, national and transnational organisations operate to stop human rights violations and gender discrimination within the country. In 2005, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with other key stakeholders launched Afghanistan`s first National Action Plan with the core objective of protecting women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence together with participation, prevention, relief and recovery objectives of the UNSCR 1325.
Civil Society:
The government has recognized the central importance of capacity building activities towards women`s organizations for the implementation of Afghanistan NAP. In this regard, civil society actors participated in several meetings with the Steering Committee which is the key development organ of Afghan NAP as well as the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the formation of the plan.
Women in Peacekeeping:
In the Afghanistan NAP (2015), there is no clear reference to the country`s future action regarding UN Peacekeeping. The NAP only includes the UNSCR 1325 as an attachment which recognizes the urgent need to mainstream a gender perspective into peacekeeping. Currently, women are 1 percent of the military.
UN Peacekeeping Statistics:
Afghanistan is not currently providing any contribution such as police, UN military experts on mission, staff officers and troops to UN Peacekeeping Forces.
References:
Government of Afghanistan (2015). Afghanistan’s National Action Plan On UNSCR 1325-Women, Peace, And Security. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Human Rights and Women’s International Affairs, pp.1-43.
PeaceWomen (n.d.). National Action Plan: Afghanistan. [online] Peacewomen.org. Available at: http://peacewomen.org/action-plan/national-action-plan-afghanistan [Accessed 11 Feb. 2018].
