WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY:
AFGHANISTAN

"The vision of these Afghan Women is simple: They want a life free from hatred, violence and poverty. They want a more prosperous and secure Afghanistan - an Afghanistan where men, women and children can go about their daily life safely. Where boys and girls, men and women can live to their full potential with access to education, health care and decent work. Where women and men can live in stable homes and healthy communities. […] If the strategies to improve the status of Afghan women are to succeed, they stress that these need to be formulated within the historical and social context of the country and with the participation, ownership and capacity building of Afghan women from a diversity of socio-economic and political background. They also want special efforts to be made to reach out and engage Afghan men for a better understanding and support for women's issues. The creation of spaces in which a diversity of voices and realities can be heard, valued and addressed is itself a good development practice. It leads to ownership and long term stability."

Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM. March 8, 2002

“Throughout the 20th century, women’s status and women’s rights have been a part of am ongoing struggle between modern and traditional forces, which also played out in tensions between and among rural and urban populations and between ethnic groups. These tensions continue to affect the approach of the UN system and donors in promoting gender equality as a goal of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts.”

“Given Afghanistan’s past, the approach to integrating gender perspectives in the reconstruction of Afghanistan has had to balance the principle of women’s rights to full participation in their society and the fear of conservative backlash. Afghanistan is at a crucial moment in its recovery from decades of conflict. Progress for women nd girls in Afghanistan will require continuous and resolute support by the UN system as a whole, the bilateral and multilateral doners and NGOs on a long term basis.”

Ms. Angela E.V. King. Assistant Secretary General. Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. July 2003