Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

The fall of Taliban regime brought her and her family from abroad back to Afghanistan, hoping to live peacefully in the land where they belong. She inhabits Herat where she became a member of several literary associations from the ninth grade and joined the Faculty of Persian Literature at Herat University after graduation from school and passing the university entrance exam.Yakta Ahmadi, a young poet, said that when she and her family decided to live in Afghanistan, she never imagined facing difficulties because of her gender in her fatherland. She added that living in Afghanistan and struggling against all hardships made her fearless, and independent. She does not regret returning to Afghanistan. Ms. Ahmadi said that she has done a lot for women’s rights protection. She has tried to recount women’s problems and defend their rights in every possible means, including poetry. “Women’s conditions in Afghanistan encouraged me to put efforts for equal rights for men and women and raise awareness among women who are not aware of their rights. Though not significant, I have always tried to defend women’s rights through civic activities and poetry,” said Ms. Ahmadi. It is years since she has remigrated to another country from Afghanistan for the second time. Reckoning her challenges as a poetess, she said that her poems have often faced criticism of being outspoken and uncensored coverage of women’s issues. Nonetheless, she never allowed her poems to be censored. She believes that women’s poetry should reflect her real experience. According to her when men write about their experiences, they are never criticized. Women’s writings, on the other hand, are always censored. “I have never accepted censorship of my own poems. I am glad to be one of the first women in Herat to have written uncensored poems, read it before thousands of…

Dariush believes that lasting peace is achievable through consideration of social justice provision and fundamental rights protection of citizens.In an interview by Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN), Dariush stated that peace is not only the absence of war. In his perspective, setting a ceasefire does not indicate peace when people are suffering from a violation of their fundamental rights. Because there is not any guarantee for observation of social justice and fundamental rights of people. Therefore, a short-term ceasefire is not trustable due to the existence of the probability of its collapse at any time.CSHRN: What is your assessment of current negotiations? Will it reach a tangible outcome?Dariush: I think the peace negotiations are going to become ambiguous more than before overtime for the reason of not observing the violence reduction agreed between the US and Taliban. It was one of the preconditions for the start of intra-Afghan peace negotiations. There is not any sign for consideration of the article related to such an issue mentioned in the agreement. We are witnessing violence on a large scale in cities upon agreement between the US and Taliban. Also, the Trump administration’s policy for hasty withdrawal strengthens ambiguity of the achievements in peace negotiations. Additionally, the external interferences in peace negotiations are another obstacle on the way of reaching a tangible result in the peace process which makes the negotiations more controversial. Hence, we cannot be optimistic about the current negotiations to have an inclusive outcome in a short time.        CSHRN: With taking into consideration the Taliban’s perspective regarding women, how will their presence affect the women’s political and social rights in the ensuing days of political settlement?Dariush: Taliban have a long history of misogyny and malevolence manifestation. They showed animosity to ethnic, religious, and linguistic…

A number of women’s rights activists believe that various issues in society are obstacles to women's progress that they have to fight them. In an interview by Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN), Ms. Naderi said that numerous factors hurdle women's progress in Afghanistan. Alongside Taliban, the closed-minded men and women in our society holding the same view of women’s freedom as Taliban hampers the Afghan women's contribution to the prosperity of society. CSHRN: Given the history of Taliban, especially with regards to women, will the negotiations have a favorable outcome? Naderi: I think it would be an irresponsible perspective if we biasedly approve our government’s position in negotiations and condemn other political fractions. Despite continuous world support and billions of dollars donations to Afghanistan, still we are not capable of putting and an end to the war, reduce poverty and have a convergent perspective of the future. It is essential for all of us, as much as Taliban, to understand the cruciality of our responsibility in helping the process of finding a way out for ongoing chaos and conflict. Introducing a negotiation party as savior and another one as evil does not help the process of solving the knot of two decades of conflict. We acknowledge that the path toward peace is tortuous; however, it would become easy to pass if both sides [government and Taliban] feel responsible for the future of innocent people in the country. CSHRN: How can women’s presence in the peace talks affect the Taliban’s view of women? Naderi: We need a national consensus to present a better picture of the current political system, equality, values of the constitution with its inclusiveness. At the peak of the crisis right now, women should fight for their rights and freedoms. Working at the government was a huge success for…

Some experts believe that women, as half the population of the country, have the right to participate in the peace process and advocate for their rights to be asserted in the peace agreement. In an interview with the CSHRN, Mr. Ramizpoor said that women should advocate for their rights to be included in the peace agreement through their representatives in the peace talks and through national support. They can maintain their claims in the post-peace era.CSHRN: How will the peace agreement affect the socio-political presence of women?Ramizpoor: Over the last two decades women’s status has advanced dramatically, especially their participations in various spheres of the society. Realistically, the Taliban may not impose restrictions on their socio-political presence. Similarly, the Taliban are also part of the reality of the Afghan society that cannot be eliminated through war. Therefore, both the side need to put an end to the ongoing conflict through a healthy dialogue.CSHRN: How can women presence in the peace negotiations affect the Taliban’s view of women?Ramizpoor: The Taliban have accepted the presence of women in formal and informal peace talks for several years. Women have participated in many informal talks, such as in Moscow and Doha. Currently, four well-educated women are representing women in the ongoing Doha talks. However, it should be noted that the mere presence of women in the dialogue is not enough, but their continued advocacy for strengthening their position in the peace agreement is important. Moreover, women’s rights are protected by the religion, Islam, and the Taliban cannot ignore it. Women’s rights such as education, employment, fair trial, consensual marriage, and political activities are all provided in Islam.CSHRN: Do women in the negotiating team have the capacity to defend their rights?Ramizpoor: Women in the negotiating team have a long history of civic, political, and…

Some experts believe that women, as half the population of the country, have the right to participate in the peace process and advocate for their rights to be asserted in the peace agreement. In an interview with the CSHRN, Mr. Ramizpoor said that women should advocate for their rights to be included in the peace agreement through their representatives in the peace talks and through national support. They can maintain their claims in the post-peace era.CSHRN: How will the peace agreement affect the socio-political presence of women?Ramizpoor: Over the last two decades women’s status has advanced dramatically, especially their participations in various spheres of the society. Realistically, the Taliban may not impose restrictions on their socio-political presence. Similarly, the Taliban are also part of the reality of the Afghan society that cannot be eliminated through war. Therefore, both the side need to put an end to the ongoing conflict through a healthy dialogue.CSHRN: How can women presence in the peace negotiations affect the Taliban’s view of women?Ramizpoor: The Taliban have accepted the presence of women in formal and informal peace talks for several years. Women have participated in many informal talks, such as in Moscow and Doha. Currently, four well-educated women are representing women in the ongoing Doha talks. However, it should be noted that the mere presence of women in the dialogue is not enough, but their continued advocacy for strengthening their position in the peace agreement is important. Moreover, women’s rights are protected by the religion, Islam, and the Taliban cannot ignore it. Women’s rights such as education, employment, fair trial, consensual marriage, and political activities are all provided in Islam.CSHRN: Do women in the negotiating team have the capacity to defend their rights?Ramizpoor: Women in the negotiating team have a long history of civic, political, and…

Human rights experts believe that protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, especially women, is one of the issues that should be emphasized in peace talks.In an interview by CSHRN, Mobinullah Aimaq said that the female members of the Afghan negotiating team should emphasize not ignoring women’s rights by amendment of the constitution.CSHRN: Which rights do you think should be more emphasized?Aimaq: The rights and freedoms recognized for every citizen in the constitution should be preserved in the peace agreement. Afghan women are free today. They have the right to education and work. They are teachers and doctors and have made great achievements in the economic sector. These achievements should be maintained. CSHRN: Do female members of the negotiating team have the capacity to represent Afghan women? Aimaq: I was opposing the composition of this team from the very beginning and I still talk against it. I believe that members of this team are not able to negotiate with Taliban. If this composition does not change, we will not probably reach a positive outcome. This negotiation requires representatives who can convince Taliban and defend the current political system and achievements of the people. We have elites who are better options for joining the government's negotiating team and convince the opposing team.Network: How can women’s presence in the negotiating team affect the Taliban’s view of women?Aimaq: Based on what we have heard from two prominent members of the government’s negotiating team, the negotiation’s progress is not satisfactory. CSHRN: Given the Taliban’s view, especially with regards to women, will the negotiations have a desired outcome? Aimaq: Based on our understanding of negotiations progress, the Taliban’s view has not changed, especially with regards to women. By the Taliban’s taking power, restrictions will be imposed on women. Women will be discouraged from working and learning. The…

The preservation of Afghanistan’s constitution, especially its second chapter, is one of the issues that citizens, especially human rights, women's rights, and civil society activists, have always emphasized as their desire for peace talks.The values guaranteed by the constitution and international norms should not be ignored as a result of the signing of a peace agreement with Taliban. If so, lasting peace will not be achieved. He hoped that the peace negotiation does not compromise the rights and freedoms of the citizens and the constitution should be preserved as a national achievement. He believes that if peace cannot provide the basis for the realization of these values, it will not be a sustainable one. CSHRN: What is your assessment of what has happened so far in the peace talks?Dadgar: Succumbing conflict has taken the lives of thousands of Afghans extensively for at least the last four decades. Although there are concerns about the outcome of the peace talks, we expect both sides to respect the achievements of recent years and adhere to human rights values. There has not been significant progress in the peace talks so far because of disagreements. However, while supporting the peace talks, we expect the talks to put an end to conflict and human rights violations in the country. CSHRN: What opportunities have the negotiations created?Dadgar: We hope that these talks lead to lasting peace. Chaos and conflict in Afghanistan are long-lasting and deep-rooted. Therefore, it is irrational to expect the peace talks to yield results immediately. If real and lasting peace is to be ensured in the country, all dimensions and consequences of the armed conflict must be addressed. Comprehensive peace cannot be achieved unless widespread human rights violations are addressed, and a proper decision is made in accordance with international mechanisms on the consequences…

Behzad: The progress of the Afghan peace talks has been time consuming, which could be due to disagreements between the two sides. But given that the process of peace is very important, the prolongation of this process is understandable. Dialogue between Afghans could lead to more realistic results than the negotiations between the United States and the Taliban. Overall, the negotiation has made satisfactory progress. The fact that the Afghan government representatives are sitting at the negotiating table with the Taliban is promising. In the meantime, some civil society activists believe that since the fall of the Taliban, nearly two decades women’s capabilities are strengthenedIn an interview with the CSHRN, Masoumah Behzad that women have emerged as a potential enemy of the Taliban. This image women have grown stronger in the last two decades. “The Taliban always rejected women and were hostile to them,but in the last two decades, women have made significant progress and have created an identity that cannot be taken away.” Said Masoumah Behzad.CSHRN: How can  presence of women affect the Taliban’s view of women?Behzad: Although the Taliban claim to be an Islamic government, they do not recognize women’s identity.They cannot withdraw women’s identity by force and through terror. Although few seats are reserved for women in the peace talks,  every Afghan woman can represent an identity by playing an important and decisive role in the government.CSHRN: What issues about women should be further emphasized in the negotiations?Behzad: The identity of women should not be denied and their role should be preserved in the social, economic and cultural spheres. In general, the basic rights of women should be one of the red lines of the government in the dialogue. Valuessuch as the achievements of the last two decades for the growth of the republic and…

A number of civil society activists believe that some socially inappropriate behaviors in the country that oppose religious teachings are permissible under name of value, which can cause sensitivity of the Taliban’s negotiating team. In an interview by Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN), Mr. Bahir said that issues such as political participation and women's employment are among the values ​​permitted in religion. However, some other activities under name of value may be sensitive for Taliban. He added that the content of some television programs, such as showing nude images is religiously forbidden carried out under name of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. This can be sensitive for Taliban and they might oppose women’s rights. CSHRN: Do you think there has been a change in the Taliban's view of women? Baher: The fact that Taliban accepted negotiation with female negotiating members and gave an interview to female journalists means that their perspective could change. They used to believe that women should be kept at home. However, now they are willing to sit at the same negotiating table as women do which indicates a change of view.  CSHRN: What is your assessment of what has happened so far in the peace talks? Baher: I think if there is no mediator involvement, demands, proposals, and preconditions in the talks will make the peace process time-consuming and ineffective. Mediators play a major role in resolving disputes. Therefore, the United Nations and the countries involved in this process need to agree on a mediator. CSHRN: Given the history of the Taliban, especially with regards to women, do you think that will the negotiations have a favorable outcome? Baher: Negotiations are the path to achieving peace. Taliban with having military strength and controlling many areas of the country have their own demands.…

A number of civil society activists say that lack of progress in peace talks and the escalation of war and violence have dashed hopes for the talks.In an interview with the CSHRN, Mr. Saies said that lack of progress in the peace talks and the increase in killings and violence have turned hopes and expectations they had for these talks into disappointment. "I think it is necessary for the countries supporting the Afghan government, especially the United Nations, as well as the countries supporting the Taliban, to pressurize both the parties to negotiate a ceasefire first. Since the beginning of the peace talks, violence and killings have reached at its peak, and has raised hostility. Ceasefire should be a precondition to the peace talks.CSHRN: Is peace acceptable only in the sense of ending violence?Saies: The absence of war and violence does not mean peace. Peace is acceptable when different ethnic and religious groups are present in coexistence. Differences should be accepted as a definite fact, in which case we will not have a challenge. We want security with social and occupational safety and freedom of expression.CSHRN: Given the Taliban’s background, especially with regards to women, will the peace talks reach a positive outcome?Saies: The Taliban regime have already experienced failure. They did not respect human rights values during their rule. Women, as half the population of the country, were not given a share in their government. They were not allowed to work, study, or even choose their life partner (husband). If they remain the same, they will be still known as a terrorist and extremist group that is alien to all human values that can hardly submit to peace and humane values.CSHRN: Do you think there has been any change in the Taliban's view of women?Saies: If the…