Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

Some experts believe that if a peace agreement is signed, the fate of women's rights and their presence in society will depend on the Taliban's nature of presence in power.In an interview with the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (hereafter referred to as “Network”) Mr. Basir said that the impact of the Taliban presence on women's activities depends on how the Taliban come to power. "If the Taliban enter the government through reconciliation and a political solution, they will have little influence on the activities of women and civil society. But if the peace talks fail or the group join the government without disarmament and reunification under the name of peace, civil society, women's rights and other democratic processes will certainly shut down.Network: What is your assessment of the progress made in the peace talks?Basir: Peace is one of the main demands of the Afghan people. Civilians during the war, especially in the last two decades, have been the main victims and have suffered the most. The start of the Doha peace talks was welcomed by the people in the hope of establishing peace and return to a peaceful life. Unfortunately, these talks have not yielded tangible results so far. The agreement on the dialogue process has not been finalized and the level of violence has increased. Therefore, people's overall assessment of the peace process is not positive and promising. There have been hopes for progress recently and a general understanding of the dispute between the negotiating parties. It is expected that the deadlock will be resolved and the negotiation process will actually begin.Network: Given the history of the Taliban, especially with regards to women, do you think that the peace talks will entail any positive outcome?Basir: With regard to women's rights, there are two conflicting interpretations…

Although more than a month has passed since the start of the peace talks, the issues at stake have not yet shifted. This issue has not only raised the concerns of ordinary citizens, but also some governmental and non-governmental officials have expressed disappointment with the peace progress.In an interview with the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (hereafter referred to as “Network”) Oranos Atefi said that it has been a long time since the talks beginning, but there is no hope for it, and many people increasingly become distrustful of the peace process.Network: Are you optimistic about the peace process?Atefi: We have not heard any promising news of the peace progress and the Taliban’s resistance to change makes it worse.Network: Given the history of the Taliban, especially with regards to women, can we expect positive outcome from peace process?Atefi: This dialogue will be fruitful if the United Nations and other countries involved in the Afghan peace process exert the necessary pressure. Otherwise, there is no hope for the outcome of this process. Since the beginning of the negotiations, the security situation has deteriorated and we are witnessing the killing of military and civilians every day; and almost all provinces are insecure. There is no hope for peace unless the international community, the US government and pro-Taliban countries intervene.Network: Do you think the presence of women in peace talks will affect the Taliban's view of them?Atefi: The presence of three women representing half of the country's population in these negotiations is not enough. They may not be able to recount all the problems of women. Another important point is that the representatives of the victims of the war should also have been present at the negotiations, and the female members of the negotiating team may not be able to…

Some civil society activists believe that peace talk is an opportunity to bring women closer together because of their common aspirations, and that they should use this opportunity to work to increase solidarity among themselves.In an interview with the CSHRN, Mojgan Saleh, pseudonym, said that peace is one of the most important issues directly related to women's rights and freedoms, and therefore women can use it as an opportunity. "Women should seize this opportunity to strive for greater solidarity among themselves, and create justice movements, greater than before regardless of the issues; such us ethnicity or language to defend their rights and freedoms." She said.CSHRN: Can Afghan women create movements?Salehi: All Afghan women do not have the same concern. Unfortunately, most women in the country are now deprived of their basic needs and natural rights. They far from establishing a movement. But women living in a better situation, or who have been able to take advantage of educational opportunities, must work to create such movements. It is their mission to work for the betterment of themselves and their fellow human beings. I hope that after the peace agreement, the situation of women in all parts of the country will improve and, in addition to access to the most basic rights, they will have more opportunities to improve their capacity.CSHRN: What are the most important issues related to women that should be among the priorities of the peace talks?Salehi: Women rights should be prioritized. It is a fundamental issue in all countries. Religious teachings have also emphasized women's rights and giving them opportunities in social activities for society’s prosperity. Therefore, the protection of women's rights and dignity should be considered as a value. Everyone should consider themselves obliged to this value and work to protect women's rights.CSHRN: Will the…

Given the Taliban's approach to women, there are concerns about the Taliban team imposing restrictions on the rights of this group of citizens in peace talks. Experts believe that the representatives of the Afghan government in the negotiations should not back down from their position of protecting the rights and freedoms of women.In an interview with the CSHRN, Khodadad Watankhah said that in matters that both sides of the negotiation insist on, the side that is logical should not fall short. He added, "The view of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to protect the fundamental rights of citizens, especially women, is rational and humane, and a view of human rights. The government of Afghanistan should not fall short in this regard and should not think that the international community has left Afghanistan alone; If Afghanistan really goes back in time, the reputation of the international community will be damaged in some way, and all its investment and efforts in Afghanistan will be jeopardized."CSHRN: What is your assessment of what has been happening in the negotiations so far?Watankhah: One of the issues that the two sides initially agreed on was that there should be no mediator in the negotiation process, but in practice we saw that this agreement was not very realistic and some countries, as a kind of peace aid coalition acted as a kind of mediation which is being formed to break the deadlock in the negotiations. Somehow, everyone has come to the conclusion that the two sides may not be able to move this process forward alone. Overall, the talks have so far not been very satisfactory for Afghan and international community, and it seems that both sides are somehow looking to waste time and, of course, somehow judging each other.CSHRN: Do you…

Some civil society activists believe that the government negotiating team is based on political affiliations. Therefore, it cannot represent all Afghans and a large part of the society is ignored.In an interview the CSHRN, Mr. Ahmadi said that all citizens, including civil society activists, religious scholars, women and youth have an important role to play in the peace process. However, he believes that people’s voice is not heard in the peace talks. He added that currently, the negotiation is only between government and the Taliban.CSHRN: Is the government’s negotiating team inclusive?Ahmadi: There are such claims from the government, but the government has selected the members of the negotiating team based on their political affiliations. Representatives of powerful individuals and groups are members of the team, but minorities representatives are not. There may be important aspect in selecting negotiating team members. But in general, due to concerns about preserving achievements and values, many people, including religious scholars, intellectuals, media and civil society representative are ignored in these negotiations. Civil society activists should be able to monitor the peace negotiations. However, such an opportunity is not being provided yet.CSHRN: What is your assessment of what has happened in the negotiations so far?Ahmadi: It is a historic opportunity and a valuable process. On the one hand, the people are tired of the war, waiting for an agreement to be reached the peace, and on the other hand, they are worried about the possibility of repeating the bitter experiences of the past. Another issue is that the peace process has slower progress and there are challenges along the way. Each side insists on its own demands for having a greater share of power. Additionally, the citizens do not know exactly what is happening in the negotiations.CSHRN: Will the negotiations reach a positive…

A number of civil society activists believe that if there is no balance between the state of society and what the people's representatives are discussing and defending in peace talks, the chances of achieving peace will not be high; Hence, the necessary reforms in society must be made as a basis for the realization of peace.In an interview with the CSHRN, Hamid Safwat said that the lack of justice and reform in society is an obstacle to peace, but it can pave the way for achieving peace. “We hope that the peace talks would end with good results, but if that does not happen, we will have to pursue more serious discussions to achieve peace, such as justice and reform in the system. These issues could set the Taliban on the battlefield sooner. If we see issues such as linguistic and ethnic differences, we are actually claiming something we do not have in the negotiations, and this creates a great opportunity for the Taliban to be more involved in the war and the negotiations.”, added Mr. Hamid Safwat.CSHRN: What is your assessment of what has happened so far in the peace talks?Safwat: Simultaneously with the peace talks, the number of Taliban attacks in the country has increased, which has become a source of concern for the people. Naturally, a meeting that intensifies the war and increases casualties cannot be positively assessed. On the other hand, the invitation of some countries to the Taliban as a terrorist group shows that we have not made much progress and that the meetings have so far legitimized armed groups, including the Taliban. In any case, although there are hopes for peace, my overall assessment of the talks is not positive, and I think that the negotiations have worsened the situation and that…

Recognition of the fundamental rights of various social groups, including women, men and ethnic minorities, is an issue that has been emphasized by civil society activists since the beginning of the peace process. According to these people, a peace in which this issue is ignored is not acceptable.In an interview the CSHRN, Ismail Zaki said that peace would be universal and acceptable when the rights of all classes are recognized and their human contribution to be considered. Mr. Ismail Zaki added, “Peace in which the rights and freedoms of individuals are not taken into account is not peace, in other words, it is calmness before the storm; it means an unstable peace that will be followed by another war.”CSHRN: What is your assessment of what has happened so far in the peace talks?Zaki: Based on what we have heard so far from interviews between the two sides and the information that is more or less available, unfortunately the Taliban have not yet shown the necessary flexibility and the expected importance of peace. On the other hand, the group has unfortunately escalated its violence and increased its attacks in some provinces, even destabilizing some parts of the two provinces, which are often referred to as safe provinces. In general, I would like to say that the peace talks have not gone to a positive direction and are not very promising.CSHRN: How reasonable do you think it is to expect the Taliban to change their views on the issue of women?Zaki: I do not believe in the flexibility of the Taliban at all. In a video conference we had with Mr. Khalilzad, we also asked his opinion about the change in the Taliban, and the answer we got was that the Taliban say they are not the Taliban of the…

Some researchers believe that the Taliban's lack of clarity on women's rights in government after the peace agreement may mean that the group does not change its beliefs about women.In an interview the CSHRN, Dr. Sayed Asif Hosseini said that the Taliban have not given a clear answer on the issue of women's rights, which means that they are trying to suppress women. “The Taliban have not given a clear answer about women's rights in a possible post-peace society, which means that they are trying to oppress women, even if they are not as successful as they used to be. This group has not changed its ideological beliefs.”, said Dr. Sayed Asif Hosseini.CSHRN: Can the presence of women in peace talks affect the group's anti-feminist approach?Hosseini: The presence of women in the talks is certainly good, but the reality is that it has no effect on the peace process with a group that does not recognize women and their presence.CSHRN: Do women in the government’ negotiating team have the competence and ability to represent women and defend their rights?Hosseini: Yes, I think they are qualified enough to face the Taliban, but the argument is that on the one hand they can say nothing beyond the government's agenda, and on the other hand the Taliban do not recognize their presence and see it as symbolic.CSHRN: Should the government accept restrictions on women’s rights?Hosseini: The government must stubbornly resist any restrictions on women's rights. Women's rights in the current context of Afghan society are in fact the red line of all political issues. If the active presence of women in society is guaranteed, society will move forward for the better.CSHRN: Apart from security issues and the opposition of the Taliban, what other problems in society are considered as obstacles to…

Talking to CSHRN, Homaira Qaderi, Afghan people suffered from deprivation under the Taliban regime in the 1990s. With the new political establishment in 2001, a new horizon was opened to the people to attend schools and universities; however, as a result of discriminatory policies, educational institutions became politicized. Many people were deprived of education consequently.CSHRN: How will the peace agreement positively affect the situation?Homaira: As long as the law is not enforced and citizens are not respected, I don’t think if the peace deal can help the situation for the better. Peace is not just the absence of war; it is also about peace of mind. Part of the current security deterioration is due to poverty and economic crisis.CSHRN: How do you assess the progress in peace talks?Homaira: As women have always been sidelined in Afghanistan, women are now present in the peace negotiations despite a disproportionate number. This brings hope to Afghan people and their military forces who have suffered a lot. And yet, my main concern is that each side of the negotiation will attempt to use the peace talks as a springboard to advance their personal interests. The government has the responsibility to hold and raise the public’s messages and concerns. Peacebuilding takes time and the Taliban must embrace peace because they are also citizens of this country.CSHRN: How do you evaluate the capacity of women representatives to defend women’s rights?Homaira: There are concerns about their capacity and integrity in protecting women’s rights. For example, some of the members might represent only the government rather than the Afghan population as a whole. However, it is time to maintain our solidarity.CSRHN: What do you mean by representing the government?Homaira: Those members holding government positions will undoubtedly be aligned with the government. Otherwise, they will lose their…

Although one of the Afghan government's demands for peace talks with the Taliban was to establish a ceasefire; not only was this condition not met before the talks began, but even now, more than a month after the commencement of peace talks, Taliban attacks have been continuing in various parts of the country and they have caused a lot of casualties. Officials at women's organizations in the southern part of the country are concerned about the situation, saying that if the violence continues, there will be no hope for peace."Not only have the details of the talks not been properly communicated to the people, but with the start of the talks, war and violence. It has increased in the country, and if this situation continues, we cannot hope for peace”, said Mrs. Zazai in an interview with the CSHRN. She added, "People expected a ceasefire to begin with the start of peace talks, but the opposing team has reportedly not yet agreed on a ceasefire. In my opinion, peace cannot be achieved if war and violence continue and civilians are killed every day."CSHRN: Aside from the issue of ceasefire, what other concerns do you have about peace talks?Zazai: Our other concern is about ignoring women's rights. Women's rights are still being violated in the southern provinces, and fortunately in some of these provinces, including Paktia province, a number of women are fighting for women's rights. Women in the province face more problems such as forced marriage and education bans, women still do not have full access to health care, and women in Paktia still lose their lives at the time of labor. It should be noted that a small number of women in the southern provinces are engaged in social activities and advocacy for women's rights.CSHRN: Do female…