Afghan society has been patriarchal and as a result the most of the institutions in the society are dominated by men. In all forms of institutions (from family to government) the participation of women is meager and there is a great requirement that they should be given their due position. The participation of women in the different institutions and their ability to participate in decision making in those institutions can play a pivotal role in safeguarding their rights and securing them from violence and discrimination.
At present in Afghan political scenario the peace process is said to be of great importance. Though the process led by High Peace Council (HPC) has not been able to play a decisive role in guaranteeing peace, it may have some impact on future developments regarding peace and tranquility. For peace process HPC has to make sure that it should be inclusive and must include all stakeholders. At the same time, it is really important the women should be made an integral part of the ongoing peace process in order to make it effective.
It is feared that in order to reach to a conclusion regarding peace process with Taliban, Afghan government may sacrifice some of the developments achieved so far; one of them being the rights of women. Women themselves fear that the current developments may lead to the loss of gains achieved so far regarding the emancipation of women.
The participation of women in peace process will definitely give an opportunity to Afghan women to express their concerns and negotiate them with Taliban. Though HPC’s conditions set for peace talks include respect of rights of women by Taliban, it is also important that women should lead in this regard.
Afghan officials, especially HPC members every now and then have emphasized the greater role of Afghan women in peace process. On Sunday, September 22, HPC deputy chief Maulvi Attaullah Ludin, in a seminar in Jalalabad said that the role of women in the peace process could not be downplayed. He stressed women should take part in the reconciliation drive as actively as men. He also said, “Women make up half of the world’s population; they need to know their rights and role in a society.”
Though such emphasis should be appreciated, it can never substitute practical measures to give women better and more important role in peace process, i.e. they should have a say regarding their rights and a guarantee that any peace deal will not sabotage the efforts to heighten the role and position of women in Afghan society.