No Credible Afghan Settlement Possible Without Women, Faiq Says

Naseer Ahmad Faiq, acting permanent representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, has said no credible settlement in Afghanistan will emerge without the participation of half the country’s population in the political process.

Speaking on Tuesday, September 31, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at a meeting titled “Women, Peace, Justice and National Reconciliation in Afghanistan,” he stressed that women’s presence must be direct, meaningful and at the core 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 decided by its people. Faiq further stressed that the Taliban administration is not Afghanistan’s only stakeholder and cannot alone reflect the diversity and aspirations of the country’s people.

The remarks come as the exclusion of women from public life and decision-making structures has been one of the main points of criticism of the Taliban administration’s rule in Afghanistan. The UN General Assembly is held every year in New York and brings together senior officials from countries around the world at the organisation’s headquarters.