Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

Most CSOs activists argue that maintaining the republic system must be preserved as it can best guarantee human rights, especially those of women. Talking to CSHRN, Rahmatullah Shariati, a civil society activist, and University Lecturer said that the republic system, as a safe platform, can ensure women’s constitutional rights.CSHRN: What is your assessment of the peace talks so far?Shariati: Lack of agreement on a joint agenda for peace negotiation is a serious concern. Despite the goodwill of the Afghan negotiating team, the Taliban are not acting in good faith that undermines the process.CSHRN: What will be the possible results of the talks, given the Taliban’s history and views of women?Shariati: Despite the prevalence of democracy in the last two decades, the Taliban still pose serious threats to women’s rights. In the case of a power-sharing agreement, women’s rights and their political participation will be challenged by the Taliban as the group is opposed to the democratic environment.CSHRN: How will women’s presence affect the Taliban’s views?Shariati: Their presence is effective, but their participation in a quota system is very low. Although the male participants in the team also support women’s rights; however, it is important for women to represent themselves. The Taliban men, who are present on the battleground are more dangerous to women than their negotiators. Women’s active and broad engagement in the peace talks will also draw international attention to Afghan women.CSHRN: Would it be acceptable if more restrictions are imposed as the result of the peace talks?Shariati: If both parties are equally determined in establishing a ceasefire and restoring peace, they should retreat from their maximalist positions. For example, restricting women’s education is never acceptable; however, separate education would be an alternative, provided that peace is restored. Otherwise, it would not be worth risking our democratic…

The spike in violence, especially civilian casualties, amid the peace talks, has become a major concern for the public and government alike. Only a political settlement would end this crisis.Talking to CSHRN, Khadija Yaqin, the Director of Women’s Affairs in Baghlan province, thinks that continuous violence, suicide attacks, assassination, and social crisis will affect the efforts for ending the conflict. According to Ms. Khadija, Afghans have long been yearning for peace, and yet no significant progress has been made in the peace talks.CSHRN: What how do you see the possible outcome of the peace talks?Khadija: I am optimistic about the peace efforts; however, the delay in direct talks and the growing increase in violence are concerning. Therefore, the question that comes to mind is what sort of problems exist on the way to peace progress.CSHRN: How should women make use of peace negotiation efforts?Khadija: Peace and security will bring about a conducive environment for all people, mainly for women, to build up their capacities and pursue their dreams. The number of female negotiators is not sufficient; and yet, they can advocate increasing their presence in other various political processes.CSHRN: How will the women’s active presence in negotiations influence the Taliban’s views of women?Khadija: Women’s presence in important meetings as such, guaranteed by the country’s law will affect the Taliban’s views of women and would be a plausible answer to their opposition. Both women representatives and female journalists, attended on the first days of the meetings, demonstrated women’s freedom provided within the constitutional framework.CSHRN: Would female negotiators be able to well-represent the wider women community?Khadija: Although we expected more women to be included in the team, I am personally hopeful about their capacities to defend women’s rights.CSHRN: Are restrictions on women’s rights acceptable?Khadija: No restriction on women’s rights will…

Since the beginning of the peace talks, the Afghan public has had a mix of hopes and fears concerning the peace process. Talking to CSHRN, Ms. Dida Shekib expressed her frustration about the peace talks with the Taliban, who ignore half the population in Afghanistan.CSHRN: How do you assess the progress in peace talks?Ms. Shekib: Given the start of the peace talks, the negotiating parties have not yet been able to agree on basic matters. However, the wounds of four decades of armed conflict are not that much easy to be healed in a short span of time. I think it may take much longer for parties to the conflict to reach a political agreement.CSHRN: Will the peace dialogue pay off with the Taliban?Ms. Shekib: I think the current war is not only among Afghans, rather many countries in the region are, too, involved and so does the solution. Having no female negotiators signifies the Taliban’s harsh views of women. Therefore, women’s rights and the constitution will not be preserved without the support of foreign countries in the region.CSHRN: How do you observe the capacity of Afghan negotiating team members in defending women’s rights?Ms. Shekib: I think there are really strong women in peace talks who are committed and experienced. However, some have insufficient capacity but own political affiliation and personal network.CSHRN: What critical issues related to women must be put forward in the peace negotiations?Ms. Shekib: Women’s fundamental rights such as the right to education, healthcare, and employment must be protected. During the Islamic Emirate, girls were banned from going to school. Therefore, reaching an agreement to recognize women’s human right will be very hard.CSHRN: Does the public accept restrictions on women’s rights?Ms. Shekib: If a peace deal is made at the expense of women’s access to…

Great opportunities have been provided to women after the collapse of the Taliban. And yet, peace negotiations with the Taliban have created serious concerns for Afghan women about their rights to be compromised.In interview with CSHRN, Nazifa Sharifi, a journalist from Kabul, expressed her concerns that women might be restricted in their capacity to undertake public affairs. She asked the government to preserve women’s achievements. Returning to the dark age of the Taliban is totally unacceptable for Afghan men and women who have covered along path to development.CSHRN: What do you think of the peace talks, as a journalist?Nazifa: Women in the provinces such as Takhar are not optimistic about the result of the peace talks. Their main concerns are about the possible loss of their gains.CSHRN: How can women’s presence in the talks change the Taliban’s position?Nazifa: The composition of the negotiating team is a matter of concern. Only few women members in the team are of sufficient capacity to negotiate. Therefore, the composition must be reconsidered and include those women who have strong capacity in negotiation.CSHRN: What should other women, especially civil society activists, do to strengthen the position of women in peace talks?Nazifa: Women from other sectors must share their views with the negotiating team through different means of communication. They can ask the team to stand for their rights and protect them at the best of their efforts. She believes that the peace deal in which women’s rights are fully recognized will be acceptable to all. More interviews: The Republic System is the Only Safe Haven for Women’s Participation January 3, 2021 Advocacy 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…

Having consensus among the government negotiating team members have always been an important issue for a successful peace deal. Speaking to CSHRN, Mir Ahmad Joyanda, a political activist, considers unity and mutual understanding among the members of the negotiating team a step forward to defending democratic values. To reach a common understanding, the team members must have close coordination and cooperation with each other.CSHRN: Given the nature of the Taliban, what do you expect from the peace negotiations?Joyanda: Reaching an agreement between the two parties in the conflict is a challenging task ahead. Unless both parties act in good faith, the peace agreement will remain a dream. The Taliban’s stress on a particular Islamic jurisprudence – the Hanifi Fiq – shows the group's unchangeable nature of the exclusionist approach. Therefore, reaching an agreement will be time-consuming and the government negotiating team must show a high level of unity and cohesion within the team.CSHRN: Will concerns over women issues be addressed during the peace talks?Joyanda: Unfortunately, women’s presence is not sufficient and the Taliban’s team has no single women negotiator. Since women and youth, who have fallen the main victims of conflict in last four decades, they should now make up at least thirty percent of the team. The Taliban have repeatedly claimed to ensure women’s rights in accordance with Sharia law. Nevertheless, the group has remained strictly harsh in interpreting the law. Therefore, the government team must firmly insist on its position to reach an agreement.CSHRN: How will the government team members protect women’s rights?Joyanda: The Afghan team members must remain united to be able to defend women’s rights. They should also justify their position based on solid Islamic principles.CSHRN: Do you see a change in the Taliban's attitude towards women?Joyanda: Overall, I have not yet seen an…

Losing social values after the signing of the peace agreement with the Taliban is one of the primary concerns of citizens. Some civil society activists believe that any peace agreement that undermines values such as the fundamental rights of citizens is not acceptable to the people.In an interview with the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (hereinafter referred to as the "Network"), Mr. Faqiri said that peace in which human values are ignored is worthless. He added that any group that rules in Afghanistan must respect the rights of all citizens, including women’s rights to education and employment. Otherwise, peace makes no difference when there is no justice and freedom. Network: What is your assessment of peace talks?Faqiri: In my view, what is currently happening in Doha should be viewed from both optimistic and pessimistic perspectives. On the one hand, we are witnessing that the political parties want to resolve their problems through dialogue. On the other hand, the extent to which the Taliban may be resilient to the will of the Afghan government, including maintaining a republic system.Network: What do you think the Taliban attacks in different provinces mean during the peace talks?Faqiri: I think the war is a support for the Taliban to negotiate. If they cannot achieve tangible gains on the battlefield, they will not be able to defend their demands at the negotiating table. That is why Taliban attacks intensify whenever there is talk of negotiations. This group uses war as a key tool and element to winning the talks so that the Afghan government can back down from its demands and recognize them as an undisputed group in Afghanistan. In general, the Taliban are trying to appear from a strong position in the negotiations and on the battlefield, which is very important and effective…

In a democracy, citizens are the main focus of governance. Therefore, realizing their fundamental rights is the main task of a democratic government.In an interview with CSHRN, Sayed Javad Sajjadi Hussaini argued the experience from the first and second World Wars showed that ceasefire and peacebuilding must lead to justice and equality, otherwise, long-lasting peace will not be ensured.CSHRN: How do you assess the progress made so far in peace talks efforts?Hussaini: To assess, both sides’ performance must be evaluated. The Afghan government has, so far, paid a high price for embarking on the peace efforts, such as the release of 5,000 prisoners as goodwill, and yet the Taliban have just spiked their violence and terror across the country. The Taliban have kept insisting on their old-fashioned, self-declared religious beliefs, which do not consist of the realities established in Afghanistan. The group denies all modern and democratic values, including (women) human rights, and certain freedoms. Given all these, it remains little room for optimism to look forward to restoring lasting peaceNetwork: What needs to be done for the success of the peace talks?Hussaini: Considering a ceasefire is the first step. Peace talks cannot be held without a ceasefire and a reduction in violence. Both sides need to sacrifice some of their demands and illustrate flexibility. In the realm of government and politics, the people, their demands, and their rights cannot be ignored. We must achieve peace in the short or long term and go to the polls; That is, the Taliban who claim that the Islamic Emirate is the best government for the people of Afghanistan, and the Republicans who claim that the republic and democracy are the best government, should expose these beliefs to the people. I think the reason we are unable to overcome the problems…

According to Rubina Shahabi, a local journalist, protecting women’s rights, including education, employment and active participation in society should be the government’s red line in the peace negotiations. She believes that these are obvious and inalienable rights of women and need no discussion.CSHRN: Will women in the negotiating team be able to defend the rights of the wider women community in Afghanistan?Rubina: I personally think that they are capable of protecting our rights in the talks with the Taliban. And yet, I am also concerned about any possible compromise.CSHRN: What is your overall assessment of the peace process?Rubina: It is early to predict the outcome as the two sides have not yet agreed on several issues. One main concern is the uncompromising nature of the Taliban, especially when it comes to women’s rights. There are other fundamental groups as well who share the same mentality with the Taliban, especially in Herat province, and have made several attempts to restrict women’s activities.CSHRN: Will women’s rights activists be able to work in the government in which the Taliban are part of it?Rubina: The Taliban have carried out a bloody war for years to achieve their goals. Therefore, it is hard to think the group will change their views. In doing so, an international mechanism is needed to be put in place to force the group to comply with its obligations.CSHRN: What should the government do if the Taliban restrict women’s rights in the aftermath of the peace agreement?Rubina: The government must stand up for women’s rights, simply because women have not been party to the war, and yet have paid the greatest price for that. The Taliban should also realize today’s realities when women have made progress and dragging the society back to the 1990s is a pipedream.CSHRN: Will women…

The absence of a journalist representative in the peace talks has been repeatedly cited by the media as a major concern in which their achievements, mainly in the area of freedom of expression, may be lost. According to Ali Javadi, the dramatic growth of media and female journalists are the key achievements in the area of freedom of the press that must be persevered during the peace talks. CSHRN: Will the peace talks ensure a favorable condition for the work of female journalists? Javadi: People will resist any restriction; however, the working space will shrink for the work of female journalists. This may be partly the result of security deterioration, which will have negative implications on the freedom of female journalists in the country. CSHRN: How do you assess the presence of female journalists in Daikundi province? Javadi: Their presence is very low across the local media in Daikundi. Currently, only three female journalists work there, of which two of them are volunteers. Financial problems, mainly the Covid-19 pandemic has further squeezed the female journalists. Six public and private media outlets are operating in Daikundi, in which a small number of female staff are working. CSHRN: What are other reasons for the lack of female journalists in the province? Javadi: As a newly established province, the negligence from the central government, lack of financial support, and development projects are the three key reasons for female journalists not to flourish in this province. CSHRN: How will peace help women’s lives? Javadi: If peace is ensured, women will not have symbolic but active and meaningful participation in public affairs. They will also be able to share their views openly and publicly. CSHRN: How do you predict the outcome of the peace talks? Javadi: Nothing will change for better unless the…