Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

18. Demands that the parties to the conflict immediately take appropriate measures to protect civilians, including women and children, from all forms of sexual violence, in line with resolution 1820 (2008); and requests UNAMID to report on the implementation of its comprehensive strategy for providing protection to women and children from sexual violence and gender based violence, as well as to assess progress towards the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence, requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the relevant provisions of resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009) are implemented by UNAMID and to include information on this in his reporting to the Council;

Recalling also its previous resolutions 1674 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, which reaffirm, inter alia, the relevant provisions of the United Nations World Summit outcome document, 1612 (2005) and 1882 (2009) on children in armed conflict, 1502 (2003) on the protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, and 1325 (2000) and associated resolutions on women, peace and security,

Recognizes the significant progress achieved on gender equality in Afghanistan in recent years, strongly condemns continuing forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, in particular violence aimed at preventing girls from attending schools, stresses the importance of implementing Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), and requests the Secretary-General to continue to include in its report to the Security Council relevant information on the process on integration of women into the political, economic and social life of Afghanistan;

37. Welcomes the Afghan Government's commitment to strengthen the participation of women in all Afghan governance institutions, including elected and appointed bodies and the civil service, supports efforts to accelerate implementation of the National Action Plan for Women in Afghanistan (NAPWA), to integrate its benchmarks into the National Priority Programmes and to develop a strategy to implement the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law, including services to victims, recalls that the promotion and protection of women's rights are an integral part of peace, reintegration and reconciliation, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to include in its reports to the Security Council relevant information on the process of integration of women into the political, economic and social life of Afghanistan;

36. Recognizes that despite progress achieved on gender equality, enhanced efforts are necessary to secure the rights of women and girls, strongly condemns continuing forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, in particular violence aimed at preventing girls from attending schools, stresses the importance of implementing Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010), and of ensuring that women fleeing domestic violence are able to find save and secure refuge;

6. Also reaffirms that UNAMA and the Special Representative will continue to lead international civilian efforts in the following priority areas: (d) continue, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to cooperate with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), to cooperate also with the Afghan Government and relevant international and local non-governmental organizations to monitor the situation of civilians, to coordinate efforts to ensure their protection, to promote accountability, and to assist in the full implementation of the fundamental freedoms and human rights provisions of the Afghan Constitution and international treaties to which Afghanistan is a State party, in particular those regarding the full enjoyment by women of their human rights;

Recalling its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010) on women and peace and security, and its resolution 1612 (2005) and 1882 (2009) on children and armed conflict, and taking note of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2011/55) on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan,

Recalling its resolutions 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, expressing its serious concern with the increased high number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, in particular women and children casualties, the large majority of which are caused by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, other violent extremist groups and illegal armed groups, reaffirming that all parties to armed conflict must take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, calling for all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law and for all appropriate measures to be taken to ensure the protection of civilians, and recognizing the importance of the ongoing monitoring and reporting to the United Nations Security Council, including by ISAF, of the situation of civilians and in particular civilian casualties, taking note of the progress made by Afghan and international forces in minimizing the civilian casualties,

Welcoming the results of the Kabul International Conference on Afghanistan held on 20 July 2010 which constituted a milestone in the Kabul Process towards accelerated Afghan leadership and ownership, strengthened international partnership and regional cooperation, improved Afghan governance, enhanced capabilities of Afghan security forces, economic growth and better protection for the rights of all Afghan citizens, including women, and welcoming specifically the commitments made by the Afghan Government including the development of a framework, timelines and benchmarks for the new National Priority Programmes, progress towards transition to an Afghan security lead, improvement of governance and tackling of corruption,

Recalling its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006) and 1738 (2006) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009) on women and peace and security, and its resolutions 1612 (2005) and 1882 (2009) on children and armed conflict,