The consortium was formed by a number of organizations mostly working for women’s rights in bids to meaningfully involve women in the peace process.
Speaking at one-day conference on “Afghanistan Peace Process: Progresses, Challenges and Expectations”, which was held Sunday, February 7, Najiba Ayubi, Director-General of Development and Humanitarian Services for Afghanistan/The Killid Group (DHSA/TKG), said the consortium will provide an opportunity for women to directly engage and take part in the peace negotiations.
She called the current situation in the country torn by long-decades war and violence unacceptable and urged the politicians and the negotiating sides to step up efforts for reaching a settlement.
Sima Samar, former State Minister for Human Rights Affairs, who also attended the conference, called the establishment of the national consortium an important step toward peace, saying strengthening civil society organizations will bring people together and help them take part in the peace process.
She reiterated that the war-weary nation and all minorities should be involved in the process.
Representatives from European countries, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and NATO in Afghanistan, who also attended the conference, reaffirmed their support for the current state and women’s involvement in the peace process.
Aleta Miller, UN Women Country Representative to Afghanistan, said the presence of women in peace talks are of the strategic and important goals of the agency.
Expressing concern over the assassination of civil society and media representatives, the UN women envoy said the situation was not acceptable.
Afghan women have constantly demanded their meaningful participation in the peace process and urged for protecting their gains achieved during the last decades.
The second round of the peace negotiations which began early January this year has become stalled since nearly three weeks.
Negotiators representing the Islamic Republic blame the Taliban for getting busy visiting countries in the region and refraining to set at the negotiation table to end the long-decades war and bloodshed.
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