Strenghtening the Role of Women MPs in Peace and Security in Afghanistan

OPEN LETTER TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE KABUL CONFERENCE

The Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention, in light of the upcoming Kabul Conference, calls upon the international community and the Afghan Government to encourage and support the participation of women representatives and women in all aspects of the security dialogue from peacebuilding to conflict resolution, from stabilization to developmental aspects in Afghanistan.

It is incumbent upon all delegates of the Kabul Conference to be guided by the SC Resolution 1325 and work towards concrete outcomes, including through the Kabul Conference itself.

Stressing the important role that women MPs play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding processes, members of parliaments from Afghanistan, and from around the world:

Encourage the equal participation of women MPs and their full involvement in all relevant peace and security processes as well as in various multinational mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict efforts and for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security; 

Support the increased representation of Afghan women at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions, especially concerning conflict prevention and conflict resolution; 

Urge the international community and the Afghan government to ensure that the Afghan Plan for Peace and Reintegration (APPR) takes into account all constitutional rights of women in Afghanistan; 

Call upon the participants of the Kabul Conference to ensure that the pledges of the international community are not undermining basic human rights of women in any way; 

Request the government of Afghanistan to take all necessary measures (including security ones) to ensure women are able to take part in key decision-making and leadership positions as well as to support their participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections; 

Noting a lack of support from the international community for women MPs in Afghanistan, the Parliamentarians Network encourages parliamentarians worldwide to come forward and support concerns and demands of the Afghan women including women MPs.