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JALAL FOUNDATION
An Afghan Women-led, Women-focused Organization
(with 50 NGO and Womens Council members nationwide)
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2014 ELECTION: BRINGING BACK HOPES TO WOMEN AND THE AFGHAN NATION
Despite desperate efforts of anti-government elements to thwart the 2014 electoral
process, the will of the Afghan people prevailed. We made it. With our performance in both
the main election and the run-off, we were able to show to the world that our security
forces are robust enough to protect our infant democracy and our people remain worthy of
international support.
This is not to say that the recent election had already solved the many issues that
make life difficult for our people. But it spawned a fresh surge of optimism and confidence
in the future of our fragile democracy. For Afghan women, the election promises a chance
to build upon the gains of the past 13 years. The imminent departure of the international
security forces has fueled concerns about evident clawing back of the gains in the womens
front. Taliban-style cruelties against women has resurfaced, incidents of reported violence
has increased, the validity of the decree on the elimination of violence against women
(EVAW) was questioned by the Parliament, and the Parliament removed the 25 percent
quota for women in the provincial and district councils under the National Election Law.
The on-going return of Taliban in mainstream society and their increasing influence in
national decision making has started to make matters worse for the Afghan women.
However, with any of the two looming Presidential winners, Afghan women have
reasons to expect that the downward spiral of their struggle may eventually cease. It is a
known fact that both Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani made strong commitments to
promote womens empowerment before the elections. Abdullah Abdullah was well-
supported by Afghan women in his campaign and he declared that he will pursue any
agenda that will be collectively endorsed by the womens sector. Ashraf Ghani, on the other
hand, stated that womens empowerment is part of his platform. Unlike Hamid Karzai, he
raises the public profile of his wife (a Lebanese-American Christian) and even allowed her
to deliver a speech in this years celebration of International Womens Day. This is an
indication that in case he wins, his wife may serve as a backdoor champion of womens
agenda and become a new role model for women in the country.
A new President will certainly bring a fresh set of leaders and officials in
government. There is a chance that the Ministry of Women, largely criticized for its lack of
mettle and capacity, may get a new Minister who could shake up the entire government to
work for womens advancement. The long-standing commitment of the government to
position women in at least 30 percent of decision making posts in government may also
receive a much needed push. During his ten years of incumbency, Karzai never managed to
have any more than three women in his Cabinet. This time, women could get a shot at
campaigning for even 40 to 50 percent of new Cabinet seats for women. The first 100 days
of the new administration could also be auspicious to pursue policies that are highly
essential to womens empowerment such as womens right to property and inheritance, the
right to travel, the enactment of the law on EVAW and prosecution of offenders of womens
rights, which unfortunately include police officers and relatives of public officials. The 25
percent quota for women in provincial and district councils should also be restored and
this may be possible under the new administration.
More importantly, the government could re-think its posturing in regard to the
peace process with the Taliban. The womens sector urges the government to negotiate
peace from a position of strength by insisting that cessation of armed hostilities be
recognized as a pre-condition to the peace process. Sites such as schools and markets
should be declared as zones of peace. Womens rights should be written off as a negotiation
piece, and returning Taliban combatants should go through a mandatory de-radicalization
process. It is springtime in Afghanistans political landscape and hope springs liberally in
the circle of the womens movement.
The new President will need the full support of the Afghan nation and the
international community. While our economy is slowly moving forward, we are still
challenged by lack of capacity to generate the resources needed to run our government and
pay for the salaries of our civil servants and public officials. We need to upgrade public
services for transportation, health, education, communication and build infrastructures
that are needed by our ever-bulging population. We need a major economic strategy to fire
up countryside productivity and ensure that our abundant natural resources are mined and
utilized to fuel long term national growth. More importantly, our fighters need continuing
ammunitions to eliminate the enemies of peace. Afghanistan has no option but to find
peace and progress. Let the seeds of the past 13 years germinate and bear fruits under its
new government.