Shahmama: A Stable Future for Afghanistan Is Not Possible Without Women

Participants at the international conference “Pathways to Justice and Human Rights for Women in Afghanistan,” hosted by Shahmama in Geneva, said that peace, stability and a sustainable future for Afghanistan cannot be achieved without the full, equal and meaningful participation of women. The conference brought together representatives of diplomatic missions, United Nations agencies, international organizations, civil society activists and human rights experts to discuss the situation of Afghan women and girls and ways to strengthen justice and accountability. Shahmama said the conference aimed to examine the worsening state of women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan and to mobilize greater international support for holding those responsible for human rights violations accountable. Shahmama executive director stressed the importance of maintaining international attention on the situation of Afghan women, saying that women’s voices must remain at the center of all discussions and decision-making processes concerning the country’s future. According to the executive director, the systematic exclusion of women from public life should not be accepted as a normal reality. In his remarks, Richard Bennett referred to the continuation of restrictions on women and called for the use of international legal, political and human rights mechanisms to ensure accountability.Shahmama added that key recommendations put forward at the conference included accelerating the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan, strengthening international accountability efforts, and ensuring the meaningful participation of Afghan women in all decision-making processes related to the country’s future. The conference’s closing statement said that Afghan women are not passive victims; despite ongoing restrictions, they continue to lead, advocate and resist, and their role should remain central to all efforts concerning Afghanistan’s future.