Afghan Women: Towards Bonn and Beyond

Despite many positive advancements in Afghan women’s lives over the past ten years, progress remains fragile and at times limited to rhetoric. There have been countless numbers of resolutions, laws, policies, action plans and strategies to empower the women of Afghanistan, but the track record for their implementation remains appalling. Anticipating gatherings of world leaders and major regional actors in Istanbul, Brussels and Bonn, Afghan women emphasize that any roadmap for economic development, peace, stability and security will not achieve its vision if it does not explicitly address women’s inclusion and participation. Women consistently remind policy makers to uphold their existing commitments and frame transition plans based on protecting advancements in human and women’s rights and acknowledging the sacrifices Afghan women make for protection of those rights.

This paper reflects the perspectives and recommendations of Afghan women who have participated in a series of meetings, roundtables and workshops organized by Afghan Women’s Network (AWN). The following overview of consultation outcomes and recommendations presents how women see their future and the future of Afghanistan thru 2014 and beyond.

Afghan Women’s Network, formed by Afghan women in exile in 1995, is an independent advocacy platform for Afghan women’s human rights and peace.