Memorandum submitted by WOMANKIND Worldwide
WOMANKIND Worldwide, founded in 1989, is a UK
charity dedicated to working internationally to raise the status
of women. We work with 60 partner organisations in over 20 countries.
Our Afghanistan programme began in 2001 with
the aim of integrating gender issues at the outset of national
reconstruction efforts and advocating for the rights of Afghan
women together with local women's organisations. Since 2003, we
have been providing technical and financial assistance to three
Afghan women's groups. One of them is a network of 86 member NGOs
and other civil society organisations. The core of our work with
them focuses on the promotion of women's civil and political participation
through civic education programmes with women and young girls.
This submission draws on the knowledge and experience
we have acquired through partnering Afghan organisations and others
working on and in Afghanistan, including the UK Working Group
on Women, Peace and Security. This submission is a follow-up to
our original Memorandum submitted to the International Development
Committee inquiry into Afghanistan: The Transition from humanitarian
relief to reconstruction, October 2002.
1. WOMEN AND
DEVELOPMENT IN
AFGHANISTAN
1.1 The present context of under-development
and economic hardship continues to present an opportunity for
women in Afghanistan to redefine their roles in their own terms,
while contributing to the rehabilitation of the nation. In order
to do so women must be at the heart of development efforts in
Afghanistan. The gender equality enshrined in the Afghanistan
Constitution can only be realised in practice if the practical
obstacles to women's participation in all aspects of Afghan society
are addressed. Furthermore, the realisation of gender equality
and women's empowerment is an essential pre-requisite to achieving
lasting peace and sustainable development in Afghanistan.
1.2 The fact that an unprecedented number
of women were elected to parliament in the recent parliamentary
and provincial council elections on the 18 September must be celebrated.
The fact that these women achieved this, in spite of intimidation
and threats and in many cases won more votes than their male counterparts
and would not have needed the quota of reserved seats for them,
is even more heartening.
1.3 However, our partners continue to highlight
the deteriorating security situation, which is very often manifested
in disturbing acts of violence against women.[2]
Such acts stand in the way of women playing their role in the
development of their country and impinge on the ability of non-governmental
organisations to carry out their duties.
2. SECURITY AND
VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN
2.1 One of the main obstacles to women's
participation in the reconstruction and development process and
one of the severest threats to women's rights are widespread forms
of Violence against Women (VAW) in Afghanistan. Women are the
first to suffer under a deteriorating security situation, they
are also the first to be adversely affected by a weakened state
structure/rule of law and a culture of impunity which prevails
in large parts of the country.
2.2 From our experience and that of our
partners, gender-based violence against women constitutes the
most serious impediment to the participation of Afghan women in
public life, and to their participation in the economic sphere,
as well as the obvious damage to their physical and mental health.
Forced and early marriages are the primary sources of this violence.
The law-enforcement and judicial systems of Afghanistan offer
no special protection to women affected by violence, moreover
a culture of impunity seems to exist with regard to such violence.
3. SECURITY AND
NGO ACTIVITY
3.1 Insecurity is also preventing the ability
of NGOs in Afghanistan to access those most in need. The recent
targeting of aid workers is a cause for concern to civil society
in Afghanistan. One of our partners recently had to close down
one of its education centres in Paktia province because of threats
received against them for collaborating with the government and
warnings to the local community not to send girls to the centre.
3.2 Afghans are also increasingly concerned
that foreign forces both military and private security companies
are behaving with impunity. This combined with what is seen as
ignorance and disrespect for cultural norms is aiding both anti-foreigner
and anti-government sentiment.
3.3 Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration
(DDR) is widely recognised as fundamental to the establishment
of security but is taking a long time to take effect. Doubts as
to the sustainability of reintegration efforts so far are increasing.
Successful reintegration of the demobilised requires long term
and sustainable employment alternatives. It also requires the
full and effective implementation of the provisions of Security
Council Resolution 1325, which "encourages all those involved
in the planning for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration
to consider the different needs of female and male ex-combatants
and to take into account the needs of their dependents".
4. DEVELOPMENT
EFFORTS
4.1 Women's status varies greatly throughout
Afghanistan. The benefits of the post-Taliban reconstruction,
so far, seem to have accrued disproportionately to educated, urban
Afghan women. The majority of women living in the outer provinces
continue to face challenges of illiteracy, lack of access to healthcare
and economic opportunities and violations of basic human rights.
4.2 Specific groups of women remain particularly
vulnerable and largely outside the reach of most development support,
such as the disabled, the widowed and the elderly, who face multiple
disadvantages. Other issues relate to tackling drug addiction
among women and girls who are involved in the production of opium
and therefore particularly vulnerable to drug dependency; tackling
the severe mental health crisis among women; ensuring the education
of women and girls; establishing justice and redress for abused
and exploited women; and generating employment opportunities for
women.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We would like to draw the Committee's attention
to the specific recommendation in our previous submission to this
Committee's inquiry in October 2002 that:
"Donors should report on the impact of spending
on promoting gender equality and meeting women's human rights,
and that DFID should prepare and publish a breakdown of DFID's
contribution to donor programmes in Afghanistan, with clear indicators
as to the impact that this spending is having on promoting the
rights of women and girls and the achievement of gender equality."
1. Gender should be fully integrated into
the development process in Afghanistan and the UK Government needs
to continue to monitor and report on the impact of spending on
promoting gender inequality and promoting women's human rights.
2. Underpinning all development efforts,
and those specifically to increase gender equality must be a coordinated
strategy to increase the security and safety of women in their
homes and communities.
3. Afghanistan has ratified the International
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) without any reservations. The provisions of CEDAW
and other ratified human rights treaties must now be fully integrated
into national legislation. Women's issues should be properly addressed
within the framework of the national constitution and the Penal
Code.
4. According to the UN Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women, the Afghan Government is
urged to "exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate
and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence
against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State
of by private persons".
The international donor community needs to continue
efforts to support the Afghan Government in fulfilling its responsibility
to end violence against women. The proposed National Action Plan
to tackle violence against women must be integrated into the forthcoming
National Development Strategy for Afghanistan.
5. In particular the Afghan Government needs
urgently to ensure, that customary and religious practices which
abuse women's human rights are prohibited and where they occur
swift action is taken.
6. Women affected by violence need to be
able to access safely appropriate remedies. This means not only
ensuring appropriate laws are in place but that that the police
and judiciary receive appropriate and comprehensive training.
7. Building the capacity of Afghan civil
society should remain a priority for development assistance if
the process of development in Afghanistan is ultimately to be
led by Afghans themselves. The capacity building of women and
women's organisations should be a priority for international development
assistance.
8. Development activities need to spread
their focus outside of the cities and into the provinces. This
can only happen if there is greater security for women and for
NGOs working with women. UN SC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace
and Security, particularly stresses "the important role of
women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building,
and the importance of their equal participation and full involvement
in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and
security" These and other principles contained within UNSCR
1325 should be fully taken into account by the UK as it prepares
to take on the responsibility of leading ISAF forces in Afghanistan
in May 2006 and in its establishment of a Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT) in the Southern province of Helmand.
November 2005
2 In April 2005 a woman was killed in Badakshan province,
allegedly by family members for committing adultery. In a separate
incident three women were found raped and murdered in Baghlan
province. According to Amnesty International, although the exact
motive for their murders remain unknown, a note discovered close
to the bodies, allegedly linked the killings to their association
with non-governmental organisations. Back
| 
