Conference: Substantive Principles on Women and Youth Meaningful Participation in Election

Transcription

1 Conference: Substantive Principles on Women and Youth Meaningful Participation in Election August 31, 2016 Kabul-Afghanistan CONFERENCE: SUBSTANTIVE PRINCIPLES ON WOMEN AND YOUTH MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION IN ELECTION 1, 2016

2 Introduction The Women & Youth Outreach Department of Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) held a conference on August 31, 2016 in Kabul Star Hotel to present the Declaration of Substantive Principles on Women and Youth Meaningful Participation in Election to representatives of chief executive office and presidency. The participants of this conference were 70 person from the Independent Human Rights Commission, the electoral commissions, political parties, CSOs, Youth Political Rights Advocacy Group, Women Political Rights Advocacy Group, university students, presidency and chief executive office, Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Haj & Religious Affairs. Panelists of conference: Mr. Kamal Sadat (Deputy of Youth Affairs at Ministry of Information & Culture), Malalai Shinwari (Advisor of president), Mr. Hashmat Radfar (Advisor to chief executive office), Mrs. Zahra Yousuf (Advisor to office of first lady office) and Mr. Yousuf Rasheed (Executive director of FEFA). Objective Defining the principle for performance of an action is necessary prior to performance of the action. The common principle are minimum. There are some principles that all people accept them as general principles. After principles are discussed and debated, they can be identified. The Women and Youth Political Rights Advocacy Groups conducted regular meetings in order to come to agree on common principles. The Women and Youth Political Rights Advocacy Groups continue their activities by technical assistance of FEFA. These groups held regular meeting to identify common principles. The group worked on identification of these principles over 2 months Strengthen women and youth meaningful political participation strengthens the pillar of democracy in our country. FEFA as a professional election observation organization aimed to get the views of professional institutions and experts on women and youth meaningful political participation to come up with a joint declaration to share it with people, parliament, the government of Afghanistan and other related organizations. FEFA s main objective is to strengthen women and youth political quota in election. Women and youth compete to occupy political power so FEFA recommended these principles to increase meaningful participation. This joint declaration of principles included 2 chapters and 20 principles which were identified as substantive principles by representatives of political parties, CSOs and media who were members of Women and Youth Political Rights Advocacy Groups. The first part of this declaration identifies

3 the principles on women meaningful political participation whereas part two points out the principles on youth political participation. Contents: At the beginning of the conference the executive director of FEFA delivered the opening remarks and welcomed participants of the conference. He said, People are the base and principle of election and political processes. There are some groups of people who need to be considered in policy making, operation and holding of election. He added that women as half of population of the county and youth who guaranty the continuation of democracy in the country are those group of people who need more attention during holding of election. These two categories are very vulnerable in our society. They are not only vulnerable in election, they are vulnerable in economic, politics, social and cultural sections too. He said, However, there were many bitter lessons in 2014 presidential election but women and youth turnout was remarkable. There were many challenges ahead women and youth but they took part in 2014 elections which appreciable. Mr. Rasheed talked on positive role of civil society, Ministry of Women Affairs, women and youth networks and media in increasing women and youth political participation and said, The role of these institutions is not deniable in increasing women and youth political participation. Subsequently, Mariam Arween, Women and Youth Outreach Officer of FEFA presented information on activities of Women and Youth Outreach Department of FEFA and said, The Women and Youth Outreach Department of FEFA is trying to strengthen women and youth role. We established the women and youth political rights advocacy groups two years. Over the past 2 years these groups held regular meetings and decided to identify women and youth challenges in election and come up with a declaration suggesting specified recommendations for putting an end to them and therefore we worked on the declaration of substantive principle on women and youth meaningful political participation. This declaration includes two sections. Section one of the declaration related to women and section two related to youth. She pointed out some principles of the declaration and said, We assessed women presence in decision making level and urged for increment of women quota in decision making level. She said that beside every principle a mechanism is recommended. She said, We worked on principle of security of female candidates and voters. We emphasized on women economic challenges and recommended Ministry of Women Affairs to work with the electoral commissions to find a solution for it. Other issue is usage of technology in election which is mentioned in this declaration. She said they also identified youth challenges and recommended specified principles for them. She said that one of youth major problems was their unawareness and lack of educational opportunities for them therefore Ministry of Higher Education must create education opportunities for youth and whereas another major problem is youth unemployment, Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs must create work opportunities for youth.

4 She added that youth distrust on their abilities is another problem therefore we considered a principle in this regard and recommend Ministry of Higher Education and Deputy of Youth Affairs to undertake some programs in this regard. Other important issue is youth rights which is mentioned in article 22 of Constitution and articles of Youth National Policy. She said that youth have economy problems as women therefore Deputy of Youth Affairs must undertake some programs in this regard. Then, Kamal Sadat (Deputy of Youth Affairs) talked on program of Youth Deputy on youth and said, We have active women and youth in Afghanistan and their role is important in decision makings and political processes. He added that the Deputy of Youth Affairs is performing its activities well and has created some facilities in section of health for youth and opened Youth Parliament in section of politics. We try to replace sound politics with unsound politics to prevent youth flee. He said, We plan to open provincial councils for youth to work beside provincial councils. We also plan to establish symbolic governments for youth to make youth familiar with governance and government. We plan to hold programs to make youth aware of value of their voting cards. Zahra Yousuf, Advisor of first lady in public relation affairs presented information about the programs of first lady for women and youth and said, Establishment of office of first lady is a new culture in Afghanistan which is very important for rebuilding Afghan women self-confidence. She added that the first lady office was established in October Her office has 4 advisors in sections of Health, Social Affairs, Security and Women and Media Public Relation. She said, The first thing the office of first lady did was national mobilization for fighting narcotics. We had awareness programs in this regard and as a result of our attempts the Hope Camp built. Our second program is fighting breast cancer. We created the Breast Cancer Foundation. Our third program is women and security and in the shadow of this program first lady focus on female imprisons and review their cases. She said that however, the first lady does not have executive authority but she created a symposium on May in Afghanistan which is very important for Brussels Conference. Office of first lady has programs for youth too and plan to establish an academic and cultural center. She said that the first lady always listen to youth and try to solve their problems. She added that the first lady is committed to strengthen women and youth rules. Then, Malalai Shinwari, Advisor of president, presented information about presidency programs for women and youth and emphasized on just quota for women. She said, Women and men fight equal during campaign but power is divided only between men and some symbolic positions are given to women. Women must become qualify to take part in decision makings. She added that president is intended to employ youth in government positions. Subsequently, Mrs. Sajia Behgam, advisor of chief executive, presented information about technical issues of the programs that government has undertaken for women and youth. She also thanked FEFA for helping government in such programs and said, Solving women challenges in

5 election is a priority for Chief Executive Office. We plan to raise women challenges in Brussels Conference. Mrs. Behgam presented information about citizenship convention which is going to be signed between president and chief executive and said that sustainable development, implementation of Youth National Policy, strengthening youth role, preventing youth flee, and increasing women part in decision makings and women immunity is our priorities. Mr. Hashmat Radfar, Advisor of chief Executive Office said, The programs which have been implemented for women and youth is not enough. We need to work together to bring positive change in all aspects of women life. Almost 60% of population of Afghanistan is young but they are misused for ideological purposes. He added that the National Unity Government has a lot of problems but it has plan for women and youth. He said, The young generation of Afghanistan is the generation of knowledge and can play important role in development of Afghanistan. Youth played important role in election. Youth must not be used as a tool. The government of Afghanistan is the outcome of strives of young generation and if it does not address youth problems it will face challenge. We support the programs which are for improvement of youth. He also emphasized on awareness programs for women and youth and women and youth meaningful political participation. Spogmai Wardak, Deputy Minister of Women Affairs said, The issue of women and youth challenges in election has always been important for us. Therefore, Ministry of Women Affairs undertook a series of actions including giving awareness to women and youth to convince them take part in election and political processes. She pointed the recent conference on women meaningful political participation where the representatives of political parties and civil society organizations attended and signed the declaration. Haroon Samimi, member of Youth Political Rights Advocacy Group shared youth message with participants of the conference and said as a young person who live in Afghanistan has been witnessed that the remarks of politicians on women and youth has only been slogans and never came true. He said, It was youth who supported the politicians to come to power but now the authorities have forgot them. Subsequently, Omaira Saqib, member of Women Political Rights Advocacy Group shared the message of women with the participants of conference. She said, We must not play with values. Some articles of the laws have guaranteed women presence but those articles are not implemented. Women don t access to primary facilities and face violence every day. At the end of the conference, Mr. Yousuf Rasheed, executive director of FEFA submitted the declaration of substantive principles on women and youth meaningful political participation to the representatives of presidency and chief executive office and got their promise on implementation of these values.