Serial No: 105

Date: February 2, 2020

Kabul-Afghanistan

Afghan women, as responsible citizens in the country, express their concerns about the current situation throughout Afghanistan and call for the announcement of election results and transparency of the peace process in the country as soon as possible.

The ambiguities and confusions of the two most important and decisive national processes of "peace and elections" in the country have increased violence and insecurity, lack of accountability for government institutions, corruption and political dispersion, which has resulted in human rights violations and violations of applicable laws throughout the country.

Whereas, women on behalf of half population of the country have always supported development, progress and democratic processes for the rule of democratic system and democratic culture, therefore, further delay in announcing election results, is a clear violation of electoral law and administrative weakness of the process. And as a result, it will further enhance lack of faith of Afghan people in this process. 

We, Afghan women, call on the present government and international community that monitors the current situation of the Afghan people, so that:

1. The security institutions in the country are required to actively take action by devising innovative and practical plans, in order to, ensure the safety of the people and prevent criminal incidents and arrest the perpetrators of crimes and bring them to justice;
2.  Justice and law enforcement institutions are required to prosecute perpetrators in the country, especially those responsible for recent crimes; such as, the slaughter of a girl by her father in Faryab, the torture of Lal Bibi by her husband and her father-in-law in Faryab, the murder mother and her three children in Chihilsitoon of Kabul, the murder of father-in-law, brother-in-law and children in Baghlan and so on… should be sentenced to harshest punishment in the country;  

1.  We strongly urge Independent Election Commission and Electoral Complaints Commission to speed up the process of electoral complaints, in order to, ensure fairness of the election and, with full transparency, announce the election results as soon as possible;
2. The people of Afghanistan expect all election tickets to respect the rights and vote of people and peacefully accept election results and assume their historical responsibility for establishing a system and peace in the country;
3. Peace is a national process and requires the participation of all people; including, men and women, politicians, political parties, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and even armed opposition. Therefore, we earnestly call on all involved parties to think sincerely for the benefit of our united home, Afghanistan and agree on a single plan to achieve a lasting and honorable peace;
4. Afghan Women's Network strongly invites all Afghan women to unity and calls on all women to come together in the Afghan Women's Network as a joint women's home, so that they share a united voice in the Afghan peace process and with their comprehensive and meaningful participation, reinforce peace process. Participation of half-Afghan population (women) will legitimize the peace process and will guarantee a just and lasting peace in Afghanistan;
5. We call on the international community to monitor the peace and election process in the country and to work with the Afghan people to achieve transparency in both processes.