Demands of the “50% Campaign” to the International
Afghanistan Conference in London
16 January 2010
We all know
Afghanistan. We all know well what the woman of this land have suffered under
the Taliban, war, homelessness and violence throughout many years. We shall not
talk about the past, because a new chapter has begun and we, the women of
Afghanistan, do not want to lose our basic human rights under any pretext. We
do not intend to assign our right of self-determination to others.
During the second
Presidential Election in Afghanistan, we in the 50% Campaign of the women
clearly informed the country and the presidential candidates of our demands. We
now declare to the delegates of the Afghanistan government and the
international community at the London Conference, who are seeking solutions,
that we expect them to stand by their obligations before the women of this
country and to display their determination to deal with these demands.
The 50% Campaign of women of Afghanistan was established in 2009 by 70
social and civil activists, supported by various organisations, including the
Armanshahr Foundation, National Union of Women in Afghanistan and the Political
Participation Committee of Women of Afghanistan, and has won the support of
more than 10,000 determined and informed men and women in different parts of
the country. As representatives of half the population, we state our demands as
follows:
To the Afghanistan Government:
- We women
shall not support any non-transparent talks with the armed opponents of
the government ignoring any of our human rights, for which we have fought
for many years in the face of great dangers.
- Our country
shall not achieve a comprehensive growth and development without women’s
participation. Women’s political participation in decision making
positions at the local, national, regional and international levels, must
take place not symbolically but in the full sense of the word in all
areas, using all the capabilities, aptitudes and merits of women.
Illiteracy is one of the greatest obstacles blocking progress and fruition
of activities geared to lasting development and social and economic
improvement in the conditions of citizens and preventing their active
participation in politics. We call on the government to give top
priority to public mobilisation against illiteracy in the next five years
by allocating sufficient funding and making optimum use of the national
human power capacity, and raising the quality and the number of
educational centres, in particular for women.
- Prepare a
national plan in cooperation with the civil society to establish
truth-seeking and justice commissions on the national level and plan for
bringing justice to the victims (reparations and recognition of the losses
suffered by the victims).
- Establish a
national and well-reputed national commission with adequate power to
implement the National Plan for Transitional Justice and to enforce the
government’s Plan for Peace, Reconciliation and Justice in Afghanistan.
- To provide
national and economic security in the society and eliminate violence
against women, it is necessary to establish legal and lawful security for
women and to endeavour to abolish the discriminatory laws and to enhance a
just judiciary.
- Wars,
migration and acts of nature in this country have left millions of fathertless
children and widows, who head their families. The government’s economic
and social plans must give top priority to efforts directed at creating
job- and self-employment opportunities for female heads of families,
invalids and the disabled.
- Mother’s
health would guarantee health of the child and the society. Special
measures should be taken to improve access of mothers to health and
sanitary facilities.
To the international community and participants at the International
Conference
- Do not
support non-transparent talks with armed and belligerent forces. We are
concerned that human rights of women might be sacrificed again.
- Accountability
and adherence to international military law; preventing the killing of
civilians, most of them being women and children; establishing
transparency in the legal framework of operations of the coalition forces.
- The international community must recommit to the
full implementation of the Action Plan for Justice, Reconciliation and Peace,
including concerted action towards making the Advisory Panel meaningful
and productive.
- Recognise the relationship between impunity and
persistent human rights violations that undermine efforts to achieve
poverty reduction, equitable and sustainable socioeconomic development and
democratisation.
- Support
fundamental improvements in women’s life through establishment of the
ground for their employment, autarky and economic independence.
- Emphasise and
support anti-illiteracy plans.
- Support
gender-sensitive plans and projects.
- Growth and
development of Afghanistan shall be possible with consideration for social
justice, human rights and democracy. Therefore, we call on the
international community to give full support to women’s rights in all
areas.
List of organisations supporting the 50% Campaign:
Political Participation Committee of Women of Afghanistan, National
Union of Women of Afghanistan, Armanshahr Foundation, Human Rights Education
Centre for Women, Civil Society Assembly of Afghanistan, Solidarity for Justice
Institute, Women’s World periodical, daily 8 Sobh, Today’s Afghan Woman
Institute, Social-Cultural Studies Centre, Salam Institute, Kabul Young
People’s Centre, Institute for Support of Destitute Women of Afghanistan, Nawa
Institute, Peace Outlet for Women of Afghanistan, Afghan Women toward
Development, Sorush Mellat periodical.
Contact the 50% Campaign:
www.campign50darsad.blogfa.com
Campaign50darsad@gmail.com