Recommendations on Specific Women Clauses for Afghan Election Law

In a press conference, the Women’s Political Rights Advocacy Group presented its recommendations for the reform of the Afghan election law to the Members of Parliament, CSOs and media. The group emphasized the significant role of women in elections and declared that "[t]he role of women must be considered in Election Law and in the regulations of all electoral bodies”.

The Women’s Political Rights Advocacy Group is composed of 13 active and prominent members of the Afghan National Assembly Wolesi Jirga, representatives of CSOs, IEC, the Ministry of Women Affairs and media who thrive to strengthen the role of women in political processes, especially in elections. FEFA (Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan) provides the group with technical facilitation. The group has so far conducted several meetings and formulated some recommendations on specific women clauses for the election law.

Setting out constituencies in elections, allocating seats for women and candidacy criterion for women candidates, considering gender balance in the composition of electoral bodies’ management (IEC, ECC and media commission of the IEC) are some of the issues the group focused on.  

Naeem Asghary, Program Manager of FEFA, urged the national assembly to include the recommendations formulated by the Women Political Rights Advocacy Group in election law to pave the way for a fair, free and transparent election.

Source: Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan.

Photo by ACDI-CIDA.