Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

A number of civil society activists believe that peace negotiation is the right decision and a dire need for the people despite its unclear outcome.In an interview with the CSHRN, Mr. Stanekzai said that people are tired of war, and the start of peace talks is an opportunity to get out of this situation. He believes that Afghanistan as a country with a weak economy needs peace, and he hopes for the outcome of the negotiations to ensure peace in the country.CSHRN: What opportunities and hopes have peace talks created for women?Stanekzai: I think one of the most important opportunities in these conversations is that women in the negotiating team can discuss issues about themselves directly with the opposing team.CSHRN: What issues do you think the women on the negotiating team should discuss with the opposing team?Stanekzai: I think they should emphasize the preservation of the achievements of the last two decades and their rights. All team members should also discuss access to justice, minority rights, victims of war, and freedom of expression and defend them as their red lines.CSHRN: If the Taliban were in power, will women still have the current civil liberties?Stanekzai: This is unpredictable, but I hope the Taliban change their views about it; so that all citizens, including women and youth, have the opportunity to achieve their rights.CSHRN: If restrictions on women’s rights were to be imposed in the peace talks, do you think that it would be acceptable?Stanekzai: In recent years, we have made significant achievements, including the adoption and implementation of national and international laws. I do not think that they should be ignored.CSHRN: What are your concerns about the peace talks?My first concern is that peace negotiation’s failure will harm both sides, and it is not clear how many of their…

Women serving in the Afghan security sector have paid dearly for the cause of peace. Therefore, their rights in the military must be protect in any post-peace situation.In interview with CSHRN, Kobra said that women, as the main victims of the armed conflict, should not be deprived of their rights to participate in public affairs and the government must further build up their capacities.CSHRN: Why is women’s presence necessary in the army?Kobra: Like men, women’s presence is also critical in the army. In the Afghanistan context, men cannot carry out women’s duties in the army. Therefore, women’s participation in the army facilitate the work of military operation.CSHRN: Please tell us about your personal experience serving in the Afghan army.Kobra: Sometimes, working in the army has posed serious, life-threatening challenges to me. I received many threats both online and offline asking me to quit army.CSHRN: Given the Taliban’s view of women, will women be still able to work if peace comes?Kobra: In case of sustainable peace, women will be able to work, as many women serve among the Taliban fighters despite the group’s constant denial of this fact.CSHRN: Can women negotiating members well-represent Afghan women?Kobra: No, I don’t think if that happens.CSHRN: What do you expect from the peace talks:Kobra: I look forward to reach sustainable peace in which everyone can take part for the development of the country. For more Interviews The Absence of Civil Society Representatives in the Peace Talks Will Adversely Affect Women November 8, 2020 woman and peace When There is no Peace; “I Changed My Name to Achieve My Dreams” November 4, 2020 woman and peace Under the Shadow of Extremism November 4, 2020 woman and peace Report from the Provincial Conference “Meaningful Presence of Vulnerable Minorities in the Peace Process”, Bamyan Province, October…

One of the concerns about the situation after the peace talks among women activists is the Taliban's insincerity to comply with the terms of any possible peace agreement.“A monitoring mechanism must be put in place by the United Nations and the international community to closely observe the implementation of the peace agreement,” Anisa Sarwari said.CSHRN: What are the pre-conditions for lasting peace?Sarwari: To make durable peace, people across various walks of life must be part of the talks. Social peace must precede political peace. Global experience, including that of Nepal demonstrates effective role of women in maintaining peace efforts.CSHRN: Do you think women now have sufficient presence in peace talks?Sarwari: In my view, quality is more important than quantity. As long as, women in the negotiating members can well-represent women’s rights, it will be effective. According to her, all women, mainly in Herat province, want their rights and gains to be protectedCSHRN: What problems has absence of women from Herat in the peace talks brought about?Sarwari: The growing security deterioration in Herat poses serious threats to women’s life in this province. Most women have been forced to quit their jobs and stay at home. They are under direct threat by the Taliban. She further added that women’s departments have not been previously active at the district level in Herat. However, the problem is now partially solved with the establishment of women’s council in those areas.CSHRN: Does insecurity challenge the work of the women’s department?Yes, insecurity still remains the main challenge on the way to women’s literacy, social awareness. As a result, violence in those district is now widespread, women are humiliated and sold.According to Miss. Sarwari, any political settlement that gives the Taliban undue influence, women would again be marginalized as they had been under the Islamic Emirate.…

In a society where some men are skeptical of women and their abilities, Zohra Nabizada finds her passion in a field that is considered “masculine”. She said that her family and friends were not supporting her decision to study Engineering. To discourage her, people provide reasons such as: “engineering is not for women” or “you cannot find a job in this field”.  Nevertheless, she continued to follow her passion.Ms. Nabizadeh said that the insufficient and sometimes inaccurate information of some people about the field of engineering has always caused this field to have a masculine definition in people’s minds. "People's perception of engineering is usually its physical work aspect, while it is not just physical work,” she said.Ms. Nabizada, successfully studying and working in her favorite field, proves the hypothesis of her family and friends wrong. This is the third year that she has worked as an engineer with a design team in a private company.“Some female engineers lose job opportunities because of negative perception about women’s ability. Some company officials believe that it is difficult to work in this field, and it is reserved for men only” she said.Ms. Nabizadeh added that female engineers can prove their ability to officials by working in the training courses of some institutions and providing work samples, but often such opportunities are not provided for them.As a woman, amid fears of occasional violence in the city, the plight of working women, which is part of the common problems of the city and the people, she also faces limitations.  She added that few people accept a woman working as an engineer, so we cannot travel to the provinces to carry out our activities, and it is impossible for us to even travel to most areas inside Kabul.Another major concern, according to Ms.…

Born and raised in war, she has witnessed conflict in the country since she can remember. From the days when people gathered around radio to hear the news of their fate, she wanted to become a reporter to inform Afghan people about the world and the world about what is happening in Afghanistan.In the early years of her youth, which coincided with the last year of Taliban rule, she lost her husband in the war, and all that was left for her was three children and distant dreams. Shakila Ibrahimkhel, one of the most successful media figures, said that since the post-Taliban years, the traditional and patriarchal nature of society, and insecurity have made life and work difficult for female journalists in the country.She worked as a reporter for one of the country's media from 2006 to 2016. She said that one of the first people to disagree with her work on television was her husband’s family. "When I was working on television, I had trouble with some of my husband's family members. It was not acceptable for them to see a woman working on television, so they took my children out of kindergarten several times and returned them each time through the mediation of my father and the elders of the tribe. "I could not appear on television fearing that my children would be taken away from me." Said Ibrahimkhil.Mrs. Ibrahimkhel, who now works abroad said that throughout her career in Afghanistan as a committed and passionate journalist, and as a concerned mother, she always had a mixed feeling of interest and fear. "Journalism has always been my goal, I always wanted to work to be the voice of the people. Once, when I reported on a martyred municipal employee, and dozens of people reached me to…

Experts believe that the Afghan negotiating team capacity to engage in a dialogue with the Taliban is one of the main factors for their success. Shahla Farid, a law professor at Kabul University who was previously a member of the peace negotiating team, said that the government had not paid enough attention to strengthening the negotiating team's capacity, only individual attempts have been made by the members themselves. She believes that there is no consensus among the team members which is very crucial in the peace talks. CSHRN: Has there been any change in the Taliban’s view?  Farid: Looking at their current activities, it can be said that there has been no change in the Taliban's view, but the result will be determined during the talks. Ms. Farid adds that the Taliban's war strategy and their political leaders need to be observed separately to see whether the Taliban political group involved in the negotiations will influence the group's war machine. CSHRN: Do you mean that the Taliban who are negotiating with the government are different from the Taliban on the battlefield? Farid: Although the Taliban who negotiate with the government are less violent, I do not think the two Taliban groups are different during the talks; Because there is one thing in common between the two groups that both see their existence in war and want to prove their reality through war. CSHRN: If the government share power with the Taliban, what will change in the lives of women? Farid: If power is shared with the Taliban, they will necessarily protect women's rights. They cannot close schools and universities and will have to respect many other values. But if they rise to power, the situation of women will change. CSHRN: What will these changes be? Farid: I think…

Experts believe that the Afghan negotiating team capacity to engage in a dialogue with the Taliban is one of the main factors for their success.Shahla Farid, a law professor at Kabul University who was previously a member of the peace negotiating team, said that the government had not paid enough attention to strengthening the negotiating team's capacity, only individual attempts have been made by the members themselves. She believes that there is no consensus among the team members which is very crucial in the peace talks.CSHRN: Has there been any change in the Taliban’s view? Farid: Looking at their current activities, it can be said that there has been no change in the Taliban's view, but the result will be determined during the talks.Ms. Farid adds that the Taliban's war strategy and their political leaders need to be observed separately to see whether the Taliban political group involved in the negotiations will influence the group's war machine.CSHRN: Do you mean that the Taliban who are negotiating with the government are different from the Taliban on the battlefield?Farid: Although the Taliban who negotiate with the government are less violent, I do not think the two Taliban groups are different during the talks; Because there is one thing in common between the two groups that both see their existence in war and want to prove their reality through war.CSHRN: If the government share power with the Taliban, what will change in the lives of women?Farid: If power is shared with the Taliban, they will necessarily protect women's rights. They cannot close schools and universities and will have to respect many other values. But if they rise to power, the situation of women will change.CSHRN: What will these changes be?Farid: I think there will be a relatively long break in women's social…

The start of direct talks between the representatives of the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban - after the fulfillment of the conditions by both parties to the conflict - is promising for the people of Afghanistan who have borne the brunt of nearly half a century conflict making peace an unattainable dream. The citizens of Afghanistan are looking forward to an inclusive and lasting peace in which the concerns of all parties to the conflict and the victims of the war are attended.  With this in mind, the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN), as an umbrella body, comprising of civil society, human rights, media, and women rights organizations put forward issues related to peace talks if taken into account the peace process will lead to a more durable outcome. Else, there is a fear of falling into another chaos.The CSHRN recommendations:1. Justice:• Injustice is the main problem in Afghanistan. Afghans want justice and their desire to achieve equality in the country is paramount. Justice (especially social justice) is an important prerequisite of sustainable, inclusive, and lasting peace. Peace without justice and justice without peace is frail. If the current democratic political system is an item of discussion, we expect the government negotiators not to compromise on justice, economic, social, and cultural rights.• During the 40 years of war, millions of Afghans have fallen victim to oppression and injustice. An important contributing factor has been impunity. Experience from other parts of the world shows that the more just a peace process is, the more stable would be. Therefore, we call on the negotiating parties to pave the way for the implementation of transitional justice. The process may include steps from a trial of perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and mass murder to repression and…

Despite many criticisms on the ability and political affiliation of women negotiating members, some believes that they can well-represent Afghan women in the peace talks. In interview with CSHRN, Zohrah Nawrozi, a member of parliament, argued that despite having symbolic role, women’s presence in peace negotiations would benefit the wider Afghan women and preserve core values, including human rights, republic system, the constitution, and women human rights. CSHRN: What are women’s concerns about peace talks? Zohrah: Women’s main concern is about their social and political rights to be compromised in the talks with the Taliban. CSHRN: What issues related to women should be further discussed in the negotiations? Zohrah: Women’s social and political rights must be openly discussed with the Taliban. In remote areas, most people still underestimate women’s ability in carrying out challenging tasks. Due to traditional barriers, women, mainly at the district level, have been kept in the dark side, and less or no chance has been given to them to flourish their talent. Therefore, women related issues must be given a priority during the talks with the Taliban. Afghan women should NOT be dragged back to the 1990s, rather their gains and opportunities must be preserved. CSHRN: What is your understanding of the outcome of the peace talks? Zohrah: The outcome of the peace talks largely depends on the government negotiating team’s ability to reap the benefit of the current opportunity in favor of Afghan people. The team should not compromise on the core values Afghan people have achieved such as the constitutional rights. CSHRN: Are you optimistic about the outcome of the peace talks? Zohrah: Good management, women’s meaningful participation, and full implementation of the peace agreement will lead to a positive outcome that should also be monitored and guaranteed by the international community,…

Taliban’s disbelief and lack of adherence to the peace agreement is one of the major concerns among citizens. Experts believe that Taliban are untrustworthy, and therefore, they should guarantee to remain committed to the peace deal.In an interview with the CSHRN, Mr. Farhad Abrar, a political analyst, said that to ensure sustainable peace, the international community and regional countries involved in peace talks must act as the main mediators to guarantee Taliban’s commitment, especially with regards to women’s rights. Otherwise, lasting peace cannot be hoped for.CSHRN: Have the Taliban view of women changed?Abrar: Based on what the Taliban have spoken with the media, it can be inferred that there has been no fundamental change to their views and they do not yet respect women’s rights.CSHRN: Can the Afghan negotiating team change the Taliban view of women?Abrar: The presence of influential women with negotiating skills, and ability to have reasonable dialogue, and maneuver delicate margins, could have persuaded the Taliban to respect women’s rights and agree with their presence as non-separable part of the society. According to Mr. Abrar, the government has failed in terms of women participation both in the peace negotiation team and the High Council for National Reconciliation.CSHRN: Will the women in the negotiating team be able to have an effective dialogue with the Taliban?Abrar: Women’s contribution in the peace talks is irrefutable. However, their effectiveness is dependent to the degree of support they receive from the political parties that they are affiliated to. Without such political supports, women cannot speak from a firm position. Governments support of women can help them to have an effective dialogue. Mr. Abrar said that the government’s weak policy has given the Taliban more advantage in the peace negotiations.CSHRN: Do you think that the negotiating team composition is reasonable?Abrar: The…