Faiq: Credible Afghan peace deal impossible without women
Naseer Ahmad Faiq, acting representative of Afghanistan at the United Nations, has said that no credible settlement can take shape in Afghanistan without the participation of half the country’s population in the political process.
On Tuesday, 31 September, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, he spoke at a meeting titled “Women, Peace, Justice and National Reconciliation in Afghanistan” and stressed that women must have a direct, meaningful role at the heart of Afghanistan’s political process.
Faiq said Afghan women are not only victims of the current situation, but also political stakeholders and leaders of the country. He added that without justice and accountability, lasting peace in Afghanistan will not be possible.
According to him, Afghanistan’s fate must ultimately be determined by its people. Faiq also stressed that the Taliban administration is not the only stakeholder in Afghanistan and cannot alone reflect the diversity and demands of the country’s people.
These remarks come as the exclusion of women from public life and decision-making structures has been one of the main criticisms of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan. The UN General Assembly is held every year in New York with senior officials from countries attending at the organization’s headquarters.
