Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

In the name of Almighty Allah CSHRN Statement Regarding the Presidential Election of 2014 July 10th , 2013 Kabul-Afghanistan The Civil Society and Human Rights Network of Afghanistan (CSHRN) is deeply concerned over the incomplete frameworks of the elections and lack of necessary preparations for holding democratic and legitimate elections, while considering the sensitive political situation of Afghanistan. Maintaining political stability, continuation of international community's support from Afghanistan, maintaining political stability and achievements of the last decades depends on the presidential elections of 2014. Holding the presidential election successfully will not only guaranty developments of Afghanistan, but it will also, indicates the capacity and will of our country in strengthening and ensuring democracy and civil life to the world. Therefore, a national, democratic and legitimate election is very vital and important. CSHRN emphasizes that the legitimacy of the upcoming elections can be ensured only if held in according with law. Legislative decree or any other measures regarding elections will undermine its legitimacy. Governments' negligence and carelessness toward this critical and vital occurrence and on the other hand, spreading disbeliefs regarding elections by some circles in debates on options such as non-elections for political transition increases our concerns in this regard. While The Civil Society & Human Rights Network of Afghanistan which is consisted of 112 active civil institutions across the country concerned over non-existence of legal frameworks for the elections, considers the slow process of preparations and no reaction of the government particularly, the silence of the President, Hamid Karzai, regarding some substitute ideas and plans for the elections very concerning and worrying issue, therefore, would like the involved parties to pay their attentions to the following points: 1.   Understanding that based on the first paragraph of article 64 th of the Afghan constitution, the president of…

In the name of Almighty Allah CSHRN Statement Regarding the Recent Plan of Ministry of Higher Education On Rationing the Entrance Exam (Concour) July 09, 2013 Kabul-Afghanistan The Afghan ministry of higher education has announced that after this, the entrance exam of universities will be taken based on the quotas on provinces and regions. And also, getting more than 65% average for school graduates during the last three years is considered as a requirement of attending the entrance exam (Concour). Ministry of higher education says that the purpose of this project is equal access of all provinces to higher and semi-higher education and ensuring transparency and justice in the process of Concour and a way of tackling the current problems in this field. There is no doubt that equal access to education is the right of every Afghan citizen and according to the first paragraph of article no 43 of the Afghan constitution «Education is the right of all citizens of Afghanistan, which shall be offered up to the B.A. level in the state educational institutes free of charge by the state». According to this paragraph of the constitution, the Afghan government is obliged to provide access to education in all levels, primary, secondary, higher and semi-higher education to all Afghan citizens without any dependency to region, location or specific province. Based on the provision of the constitution, the right to access education, is an equal citizenship right for all citizens of Afghanistan and cannot be divided or separated based on the relation or dependency of the people. Also, Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (adopted by the UN general assembly in 1966), which Afghanistan signed and ratified, have considered the right…

In the name of Almighty Allah CSHRN statement on the occasion of appointment of new commissioners of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) June, 18, 2013 Kabul-Afghanistan His Excellency, Hamid Karzai, the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has recently introduced and appointed five new commissioners of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). The representatives of the Afghan civil society held meetings with his Excellencyand submitted a list of potential and capable candidates. Howeverthe list of well experienced persons in the field of human rights, civil society values and democracy was submitted to the president as result of meetings butthe new five commissioners of the Independent Human Rights Commission have been appointed without considering the consultation processwith the civil society, and none of these five commissioners were mentioned in the list, provided by the civil society. This issue induced the civil society to ask about the logic andrational beyond discourse of the civil society with the president in this connection. According to the information gained by civil society actors, some of the new commissioners are linked to political-ideological groups. Affiliation of commissioners brings the professionalism and independency of AIHRC as a national organization of Human Rights under the question. The national institution, calledin Afghanistan the Independent Human Rights Commission, is constituted under Paris Principles. Based on these principles, states are liable to establish and support national institution of human rights based on their commitments to human rights. Accordingtothese principles, national institutions of Human Rights are free of all kind of political-ideological interference. High commissioner and other commissioners of national Human Rights Iinstitutions should be free of any political-ideological affiliation and dependency to any political party. The commissioners must be committed to human rights values and work accountably and in close coordination with human rights organizations. The principle,…

In the name of Almighty Allah Respect your mothers, sisters, wives and daughters, they are also human! With great regret, that the Afghan parliament didn't approve the law on Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) on its general session on Saturday, May 18, 2013. The opposition of a number of MPs caused the law not to be approved by the house of people; they were claiming that some of its articles are in conflict with the Islamic principles. At the meantime, women suffers many types of violence in Afghanistan, which are also contrary with the Islamic values, and yet violence against women is one the most common problems in Afghanistan. In order to fulfill their civic duty and understanding the negative deep impacts of violence against women in our society, the civil society institutions have taken their continues measures and effortsto find a fundamental solution for reducing and eliminating the culture of violence against women and misogyny in the country. One of the fundamental and civil solution that the civil institutions are agree on, is the existence of a law and an appropriate judicial structure, to fight this inhuman phenomena of violence against women. The draft of the law on Elimination of Violence Against Women, which has also been signed as a legislative decree by his Excellency president Hamid Karzai, is the outcome of the non-tiring efforts of the Civil Institutions & groups, civil activists, Human Rights Activists and conscious women of Afghanistan. The conscious womenand the Civil Society of Afghanistan consider the approval of this law as a sign of national attempt for eradicating the culture of misogyny in Afghanistan and executing itsinternational commitments and it was called a strong pillar for a human society without gender discrimination. The Civil Society & Human Rights Network, which is…

In the name of Almighty Allah Statement of Civil Society & Human Rights Network of Afghanistan (CSHRN) March 11, 2013 Kabul-Afghanistan Afghanistan is experiencing a critical situation. The periodic withdrawals of the international forces from 2014, the conducting of the presidential election, capacity building of political & economic self-sufficiency are the most significant components of the current situation. The role of the international community, particularly the close partners of Afghanistan , is very important in this regard. The international community has uniquely supported the people and the government of Afghanistan during the past twelve years. The civil society of Afghanistan appreciates the international community's role for supporting the Afghan people and State. The civil society of Afghanistan were very much aware of the importance of supporting the Afghan people in such a significant stage in relation to the economic crises, which sweeps the world. Recently, it is very noticeable that the constructive convergence between the Afghan government and the international community has been faced with difficulties. Political leaders provide their speeches in a non-friendly manner to the address of the international community led by the United States of America , which led to the same reaction by the international community toward Afghanistan . The sequential wars have made this country a dependent state to the international community. To get free of such dependencies, the people & the Afghan government need the support of the international community and for getting their support, the Afghan government should initiates its programs in convergence and coordination of the international community. The civil society of Afghanistan urges the government to keep and maintain its convergence & coordinate through planning some constructive programs and strategies along with keeping its national interest, national sovereignty and territorial integrity. On the behalf of the Afghan people, the…