AFGHANISTAN: Don't Forget Afghanistan's Women

As Canada prepares to pull out its military troops from Kandahar after a long and difficult run in southern Afghanistan, where 156 Canadian soldiers have lost their lives since 2002, it is not only time to reflect on the sacrifices made and the gains achieved by the Canadian presence in this war-torn nation, but also to focus on creating momentum for durable peace and justice which includes the consolidation of democratic ideals and gender equality.

Canada has invested $1.5 billion in development and humanitarian aid, alongside $10 billion in direct and indirect military expenditures in the last decade in Afghanistan. Much blood and treasure has been spilled and spent trying to bring peace, security and stability to a country which has known nearly 33 years of war, invasion, civil strife and immeasurable poverty.

The Afghan people have suffered tremendously as a result of these last 33 years of conflict, and continue to suffer at the hands of the Taliban and extremists bent on ruining what Canada, the coalition troops and the international community have achieved and are still working toward bringing into fruition. A fragile situation exists today where the enemy looms from neighbouring safe havens, and conflict continues to rage in parts of the country unabated. Now with peace negotiations and reconciliation efforts with the Taliban on the Afghan and international agenda as a possible solution to bring about a political settlement, many are concerned about the direction Afghanistan is headed.

Among the most concerned and worried are Afghan women, who suffered considerably under the Taliban regime as non-citizens without human rights or an active role in public life. Afghan women were tortured, beaten and killed at public executions, without the benefit of a legal system to protect them. They were forbidden to work, go to school, and travel freely in the streets, with little or no access to health care, creating the highest maternal mortality rate in the world.

As a result of Canadian and international contributions over the last decade, Afghan women and girls have returned by the millions to attend school and work, benefiting from the strides made to bring about greater access to education, literacy, employment, health care and the enjoyment of their human rights. The 2004 Afghanistan Constitution recognizes women and men as equal citizens with equal rights, and through a quota system women are guaranteed 26 per cent of the seats in the Afghan Parliament and provincial councils.

The first political party for women was formed in 2009 to develop a stronger national political platform for women's rights, and now boasts more than 25,000 members. Today, the political involvement of Afghan women in rebuilding their country, a growing civil society and private sector, and dynamic media which include the courageous presence of Afghan women journalists are some of the encouraging signs of progress that can make a difference to the lives of the Afghan people. These are significant developments which could not have occurred without the help of the international community.

During my husband's tenure as Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada, we were very pleased to see that in 2008 the government of Canada made equality between women and men a cross-cutting theme for all of Canada's work in Afghanistan. CIDA projects have helped to improve maternal and infant health, girls' education, women's literacy rates, the number of female teachers, women's access to the workforce and to credit, and women's access to governance and justice.

There is no doubt that there are still significant challenges for Afghan women to overcome. The volatile security situation and certain archaic norms continue to put pressure on women and limit women's and girl's roles in public life, denying them the full enjoyment of their rights. Without sustainable peace, security, economic opportunities, and access to health care and education, disturbing realities associated with poverty, patriarchal and tribal law, domestic violence and child marriage, will be difficult to reverse down the road.

It is befitting that Canada continues to be engaged on the side of those whose rights need to be defended or those who want to become self-sufficient, to nurture the historic bonds of friendship and humanitarian outreach. We must continue to honour those who have fallen on both the Canadian and Afghan sides by not allowing what has been achieved to be unravelled.

Actively working to improve the rights of Afghan women is not idealistic; it is also pragmatic. Improving the situation of women in Afghanistan is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure sustainable development and progress. Lasting peace cannot come without the participation and representation of Afghan women in its developing society.

As Canada prepares to end its combat role in a few weeks time, it will be essential to continue with Canada's generous humanitarian assistance and development programs, aside from the mentoring and training of Afghan forces, much appreciated by the Afghan people. We hope that the gains achieved on their behalf will not be reversed by unjust political concessions or the drawdown of military presence.