UN Mission Says Exclusion of Women in Afghanistan Hinders Lasting Peace
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says lasting peace in Afghanistan is not limited to the silencing of war and cannot be achieved without sustained investment in people, education, income opportunities and human dignity.
On Monday, 30 September, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, UNAMA stressed that lasting peace is based on inclusion and is strengthened when women and girls play a meaningful role in shaping the future of their communities and country.
The statement comes as the Taliban administration, by continuing restrictions on women and girls’ education, work and social participation, has blocked one of the most important grounds for the involvement of half of society. Many citizens also say that despite a decline in armed conflict, they still do not feel safe or at peace.
Referring to the UN secretary-general’s call, UNAMA also said that peace is not a passive state or an automatic phenomenon, but a conscious and active choice to build a better future.
The United Nations Assistance Mission added that this year’s International Day of Peace slogan was “Act Now for a Peaceful World: for All, Everywhere and Every Day,” and the mission supports this approach.
UN officials have previously warned that the Taliban administration’s policies have accumulated key risks to Afghanistan’s stability, and that a reduction in fighting and apparent control over territory do not necessarily reflect the true state of security and stability in the country. UNAMA is the political mission of the United Nations in Afghanistan and follows the country’s political, human rights and humanitarian developments.
