Bonn Conference: Afghan Women's Network says “Women's rights are not negotiable” | No Women No Peace

Bonn Conference: Afghan Women's Network says “Women's rights are not negotiable”

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On December 5th the International Conference on Afghanistan took place in Bonn, Germany with delegates attending from over 90 countries and organisations. We were in Bonn and attended a conference of civil society representatives over the weekend as well as the official conference. Follow us on Twitter @Nowomennopeace for coverage of the civil society conference and the official conference. Follow the hash tags #Bonn2 and #Afghanwomen.

At a press conference in Bonn on 5th December, ten Afghan Women Activists have voiced their serious concerns about the future of Afghan women.

“The world’s leaders are gathering in Germany to discuss the future of Afghanistan”, said Samira Hamidi, Country Director of the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN).  While many issues such as withdrawal dates of troops and other matters are being discussed, Hamidi insists: “Women’s rights are not negotiable. We will not accept for our country to move back in time and take away our freedom and participation.  We’ve come with our proposals on how to ensure this does not happen.”

The ten representatives of AWN are in Bonn, Germany to make recommendations to the Afghan government and the international community on how women can and must be included in a stable and democratic Afghanistan post-2014. Their voyage marks the culmination of a year of consultation and advocacy in the run-up to the Bonn Conference, through which thousands of Afghan women were consulted on reconciliation, reintegration, transition, and international engagement beyond 2014.  Their message is clear: women need to be included in decision-making related to peace and security if the protection of women’s rights is to be assured.  The ten women will meet with senior-level policymakers and media outlets to advance women’s specific recommendations.

The women bring with them a series of recommendations for the participants of the Bonn Conference, ranging from practical ways of including women in the transition and peace processes, to their priorities for the future of international aid, to how they feel Afghanistan can best cooperate with its neighbours.

But they also bring their fears.  “So far, we’ve had very little assurance that the rights of Afghan women won’t be sacrificed in the quest for a political settlement to the conflict.  Our ability to work, to go to school, to seek justice in the courts, has not been guaranteed – not if the plans and progression of transition thus far is a measure to go by.  What is peace if only 50% of the population feel secure?  That is no peace at all,” said Mahbouba Seraj, a women’s rights activist and another member of the group.

Check back with us for analysis of the conference soon.

Update: Read the latest blog posts from zohra moosa of ActionAid who is attending the Bonn conference with GAPS Director Chitra Nagarajan and writing on The F Word blog:

• Day 1
• Day 2 part 1 
• Day 2 part 2

Key Documents:

• UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has released the following statement on the conference: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=701589882
• The outcome document for the conference is now available (4 mentions of women) here.
• Statement from Foreign Secretary William Hague on Bonn blueprint for long-term engagement with Afghanistan: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=701858582
• WIlliam Hague's speech from the conference can be found here.

Update (6 Dec): Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in London today to sign a new pact with the UK government. Will women's rights be included? Read this blog post on the Guardian Poverty Matters blog, written by ActionAid's zohra moosa on what Bonn means for the future role of Afghan women in the transition process.

Image caption: Members of the AWN pose in front of the green scarves photo wall at Bonn

Image credit: CARE/Puthupparambil

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added by Shelagh Daley 05.12.11