Women's Rights

Women 'essential' for building, maintaining global peace, say UN officials

By Salaam Times and AFP

In this photograph taken on May 28 an Afghan female presenter with news network 1TV, Lima Spesaly, prepares to cover her face by a veil before a live broadcast at the 1TV channel station in Kabul. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

In this photograph taken on May 28 an Afghan female presenter with news network 1TV, Lima Spesaly, prepares to cover her face by a veil before a live broadcast at the 1TV channel station in Kabul. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

UNITED NATIONS -- Men must stop excluding women from peace talks around the world, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres said Wednesday (June 15).

The lack of female representation in such negotiations from Ukraine to Afghanistan, Myanmar and Mali shows "how enduring power imbalances and patriarchy are continuing to fail us", he said.

It results in "men in power and women excluded, their rights and freedoms deliberately targeted", he told a special meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

Women's "right to equal participation at all levels, is essential for building and maintaining peace", said Guterres.

Members of Afghanistan's Powerful Women Movement take part in a protest in Kabul on May 10. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

Members of Afghanistan's Powerful Women Movement take part in a protest in Kabul on May 10. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

He noted that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced millions of women and children to flee the country, "putting them at high risk of trafficking and exploitation of all kinds".

Women 'essential for resolving conflicts'

"Women who chose not to evacuate are at the forefront of healthcare and social support," said Guterres.

Their perspectives are therefore "critical to understanding conflict dynamics", and make their participation "essential for resolving conflicts".

In many areas, men in power have actively worked to exclude women, said Guterres, citing for example Afghanistan, where "nearly 20 million Afghan women and girls are being silenced and erased from sight".

In Myanmar, "women cannot express themselves openly and have no route to political participation," he said.

Successive military coups have also resulted in women "becoming poorer and more marginalised" in Mali, where "extremists pose an even greater threat", he said.

Guterres was unequivocal about the impact of what he termed "the recent shift away from inclusive politics", saying it "shows once again that misogyny and authoritarianism are mutually reinforcing".

In separate remarks Wednesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, who visited Afghanistan in March, described meeting Afghan women continuing to demand their rights despite "unimaginable challenges".

"Their situation is critical," she said.

This is of serious concern in a country facing dire intersecting humanitarian and economic crises, with 93% of households facing high levels of food insecurity.

Afghanistan cannot meet the long line of towering challenges it faces without giving women a voice, Bachelet said.

"The path out of crisis for the people of Afghanistan cannot be paved with the efforts of a few," she insisted.

"To move Afghan society towards peace, the representation of all Afghans in policy and decision-making processes will be crucial," she said.

"This includes listening to the voices of women and girls."

Do you like this article?

8 Comment

Comment Policy * Denotes required field 1500 / 1500

In the peace negotiations between the Islamic Emirate and the government of the Republic that took place in Qatar, several women were included on behalf of the government of the Republic of Afghanistan. No one considered women's rights in the peace negotiations. The United States, which presents itself as one of the advocates of Afghan women's rights, did not defend the rights of Afghan women in the peace talks in Qatar. Also, the women who were introduced by the government of the Republic of Afghanistan to the peace talks between the Islamic Emirate and the government of the Republic did not defend the rights of women in Afghanistan, but played with the fate of Afghan women, while the educated women of Afghanistan are sitting at home unemployed and the majority of them are suffering from psychological problems.

Reply

Please write the address and contact number of this organization.

Reply

Fatima Payman, the first woman from Afghanistan, reached the Australian Parliament as a senator. He was a Labor Party’s candidate from Perth city. Ms. Payman's father fled from the Taliban regime in 1999 and arrived to Australia by a boat as a refugee. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has congratulated Ms. Payman on her victory. The report indicates, if the Afghan girls are allowed to get an education, they can achieve good positions.

Reply

The Taliban have done the following against women who make up half of the country’s population: They forbade women to go to therm, Prohibited them from getting into the taxi, Forbade them from traveling to the provinces, Prohibited them from continuing secondary and high education, Prohibited them from continuing secondary and high education, Prohibited them from going to work, They made it compulsory for them to wear Hijab and cover their face completely. Therefore, in the 21st century, looking at their perspective and way of governing, no country in the world, not even any Islamic country, has recognized the current administration of the Taliban as a legitimate and sovereign state. Now the United Nations also wants to ban Taliban leaders from traveling abroad. During their 10 months of government, the Taliban demonstrated that the biggest obstacle to their recognition as a legitimate state is their incredible intellectual backwardness. As a result of studying in Haqqani Madrasas the Taliban instead of creating thoughtful people who are equipped with modern sciences, they make them learn the petrified Deobandi type of Islam. But its biggest threat to Afghanistan is the training of those people who have come to power by force and with the sacrifice of innocent children in their suicide attacks and by depriving the women of the country of their right to live today’s civilized life, they have condemned the future of the people of this country to the danger of drowning in ignora

Reply

Immigration and reaching of an Afghan – Australian woman to the Australian senate: Part 2: if opportunities allow, every Afghan woman in the country and abroad can show similar abilities and bring such pride. Considering this significant achievement made by Fatima, the Afghan girls’ schools should be opened. Closing the girls’ schools has no justification. Neither women’s education is forbidden in Islam nor in the current time; however, the Taliban are implementing Punjab [Pakistan]’s agendas in Afghanistan so that the Afghan generations live in darkness forever. My Afghan Fatima Paiman says she will be the first senator of the Australian parliament who will wear her veil while attending the Jirga. Speaking with ABC radio, she expressed concern over the current situation in Afghanistan. She said she remembers the picture of a developing country like that of the 1910s or 1930s when all had just and equal rights. Women were getting an education, worked in higher positions, were activists, and brought changes; however, now it is a matter of shame as the country failed after several decades, and we don’t know whether its reconstruction is possible or not?

Reply

Immigration and reaching of an Afghan – Australian woman to the Australian senate: Part 1: an Afghan – Australian lady Fatima Paiman has been elected as a member of the Australian senate. As per the reports of the world media, Ms. Paiman is a member of the ruling Labor Party who, on 20 June, on the day of announcing the results of the senate elections, was able to find a way from Western Australia to the senate. Fatima Paiman, in her childhood, has gone with her family from Afghanistan by ships through the Indian sea to Australia. She has said in her words that, by going to the Australian parliament in Hijab, she wants to deliver a message to the young Muslim girls that they have the absolute right to wear clothes; however, it has been for 276 days since the Afghan girls and women have got deprived of their Islamic and human rights in their country, and the current rulers of the country have turned a blind eye to their rights. Afghan girls and women have extraordinary capabilities; however, they don’t have chances to express their abilities and play an active role in building their future. They have expressed their abilities in every aspect of life by making efforts, showing honesty, knowledge, and leadership; however, they are deprived of schools and getting education for a decision of the Taliban. It is also unknown, nor is this known, what the reality is; however, they have stopped them from going to school. Fatima Paiman is an example of the Afghan women’s abilities and s

Reply

Hostility against the women is in fact enmity against half of the population of the society. If an accurate census occurs, it is very much possible that the number of women would be more than men because a huge number of men have lost their lives during the 40 years of the continued war. Still, a group of men who make up a very small minority imposes their own views and understanding on women. Another group of men, who fear the Taliban, instead of supporting women are trying to persuade their women to obey the Taliban's un-Islamic and humane orders. But these men should know that after the Taliban completely isolate women in the society, it will be their turn because the Taliban want everyone to think and look like them, so it is good for them to protest in support of the women from now on to avoid testing the same experience tomorrow. Thank you, Shireen Alizai

Reply

Protecting and supporting women's rights is just a slogan for Western countries and organizations. We all know that the Taliban’s hostility towards women is more than anyone else, but the United States in order to protect its own interests negotiated with this barbarian group for several years and in a joint conspiracy with Pakistani intelligence and overthrew the republic in which the rights of all Afghans were protected. I bet if the UN and other human rights organizations dare to ask the Biden administration and the United States government why they played with the rights of the Afghan women and why they overthrew the legitimate government of Afghanistan. I am sure they won’t do it because they don’t have that courage.

Reply