Officials from the European Union Delegation in Afghanistan at a ceremony in Kabul on Thursday marked the Europe Day 2019 under the theme of “Women of Afghanistan” where they stressed the need for women’s prominent role in the Afghan peace process.
“Peace agreement where women are massively part of the negotiating process, have 40 percent more chance of success than those where women are absent,” said Pierre Mayaudon, Ambassador and Head of European Union Delegation in Afghanistan. “On the EU side, nobody can doubt our determination to accompany these Afghan women in their struggle for more empowerment and a larger role in the peace process.”
“You may have remind on some of you at least eight of April council conclusions of the 28 foreign ministers of the European Union member states acknowledging the sanctity of the role of women in the peace process. So we are there very much on your side you the women in Afghanistan to promote your inclusivity, to help you having the gains of the last eighteen years respected and brought forward and all together I would say to fight together on your side for the respect of the Constitutional order.”
“Our EU vision of the Afghanistan of tomorrow is certainty not an Afghanistan where women would be subject of an emirate but rather full-fledged citizens of the republic,” he said.
The EU Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific, Paola Pampaloni, said the European Union will strongly continue its financial and political support to Afghan women.
“Just to confirm as the voice from Brussels the strong support that we will continue to provide to women here in Afghanistan and you can say that is really an important element of our bilateral relations between the EU and Afghanistan. And our support is not only financial support, in many aspects of our cooperation, but is a strong political support that is incorporated in any activities that we do and we undertake with the government of Afghanistan,” Paula Pompaloni said.
She said the EU will accompany Afghanistan in reaching a peace deal with the Taliban, will support the deal implementation and will ensure that the values and women's rights will be preserved.
A number of Afghan women who attended the ceremony meanwhile raised concerns over continued violence.
The women said Taliban during the Ramadan has increased their attacks in cities and recently they attacked a foreign aid organization in Kabul in which nine people lost their lives.
“Yesterday’s attack on the Counterpart (International) office during this holy month of Ramadan, once again has left fear, destruction, injuries and loss of innocent lives and shows the brutality of the terrorist group we are dealing with,” said Nabilla Muslih, Deputy Women Affairs Minister.
Muslih said Afghans are tired of the 40 years of war, but the people, especially women, have not lost their hopes for peace, even they have lost members in fights and have suffered from the violence.
This comes as the sixth round of talks between the US and Taliban ended in Doha on Thursday where they made progress on some issues agreed in draft in previous round.