By Bente Aika Scheller
But particularly the fact that the conference will be held at such a high political level raises concerns among Afghan civil society activists that their views – or voices from Afghanistan in general – will remain unheard. Three minutes, it is said, are reserved for each country to present its perspective of developments in the country. For the civil society, it seems, there will rather be room to make its case in the side events of the conference, not in the main sessions. Yet for re-construction, civil society engagement is of crucial importance: Civil society activists provide local expertise, they are well connected in areas in which the Afghan government, itself still in the process of consolidation, has little access, and even less so the international community. Civil society channels genuine interests of the Afghan population, and civil society organizations are agents of political and social change.
In Afghanistan seven years after the fall of the Taliban regime there are still many basic needs that have not yet been addressed. The security situation in large parts of the country has deteriorated while visible improvements in daily life are scarce. There are achievements – in the education sector, in de-mining, and even in the much criticized training for the Afghan police remarkable progress has been made. There are, however, doubts regarding how serious the international community is about human rights and women’s rights, about freedom of opinion and rule of law. It is just too obvious that neither the Afghan government nor the international community tries to implement or enforce these principles.
Under pressure to spend money in comparably short periods of time the sustainability of projects is often not of central concern. A sensitive point in the efforts for re-construction is also that the single states within the donor community have different priorities and that they are pursuing different interests by different means. Therefore, even between actors who share the same goals, projects are insufficiently coordinated. In this sector it becomes very obvious how resources are wasted instead of being used purposefully and with the right means – to no little extent also because local NGOs are not consulted or their advice is being ignored.
In preparation for this conference, the Afghan civil society has set a good example: A number of civil society organizations and Afghan NGOs have held a series of meetings to give recommendations to the Afghan government and the international community.
Led by the Afghan Civil Society Forum (ACSF), among others representatives of the Agency Coordination Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), the Humanitarian Association for Women and Children of Afghanistan (HAWCA), the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), the Women’s Political Participation Commission (WPPC), Global Rights and Heinrich Böll Stiftung participated in the drafting.
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Afghan Civil Society Hague Conference Recommendations
In preparation for the meeting on Afghanistan in The Hague the 31th of March, a broad range of civil society and nongovernmental organizations convened a series of meetings towards providing recommendations to the Afghan government and the international community on strategies for solidifying the peace process in Afghanistan. The recommendations are grounded in the following set of fundamental principles and values:- The concept of “Afghans in the lead” must shift from rhetoric to a genuine principle guiding the strategic discussions on Afghanistan’s future and must be inclusive of a broad range of Afghan actors, including civil society actors.
- While Afghans are in support of broad based and inclusive dialogue and reconciliation efforts, these processes must be grounded in a non-negotiable position of respect and acceptable for the Afghan Constitution and the fundamental values that it enshrines, including respect for human rights, women’s rights, rule of law and the principles of democratic governance. Democratic principles, which Afghans have sacrificed their lives for and championed for the last century, cannot be negotiated away by the Afghan government and the International Community under the guise of peace and security.
Key Recommendations
Human Rights
The Afghan Government and the international community must prioritize and take all necessary measures to minimize civilian casualties and institute mechanisms of accountability, transparency and systems of reparations to address victim rights. The Taliban must be equally held to account for their role in civilian damage and casualties.
The Culture of impunity must be brought to an end through concrete measures including support and political will for the advancement of the transitional justice process and the implementation of rule of law measures.
Women’s Rights
Women must be involved in all dialogue and political processes including negotiations and reconciliation efforts.
Freedom of Expression and Media Rights
The role of an independent and impartial media should be strengthened and promoted in advance of the Presidential Election through political and financial support, the removal of government influence in the Media Complaints Commission and ensuring that election monitoring and watchdog groups prioritize freedom of expression and the protection of journalists under threat.
Aid Effectiveness
The International Community must improve coordination within the donor community and take strategic action to ensure that vital resources are committed to improving the lives of ordinary Afghans and addressing extreme poverty.