Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Statement by H.E. Dr. Zalmai Rassoul Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic
of Afghanistan
At the 22nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Geneva
25 February 2013
Mr. President,
Madam High Commissioner,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my distinct honour and pleasure to participate on behalf of the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan in the 22nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Allow
me to express sincere thanks and high appreciation to you, Mr. President, for leading our session
today. And I would like to renew my country’s support to Ms. Navanthem Pillay for her tireless
efforts to advance the agenda of human rights worldwide.
Afghanistan attaches special importance to the cause of human rights and specifically to the
important work of the Human Rights Council. The Human Rights Council is a unique forum to
engage in sincere and result-oriented dialogue with a view to addressing the challenges that
confront us all.
It is, in my view, incumbent upon us all to advance the cause of dialogue and cooperation, and
fulfill and comply with the urgent human rights needs of our societies and strive for a better,
peaceful and brighter future for coming generations, and support the voices of tolerance and
understanding among us.
Mr. President,
There are persistent regional challenges and threats, which need serious consideration in South
and Central Asia.
Existing armed conflicts, terrorism and terrible impoverishment in the region mean that many of
our fellow human beings continue to live in abject fear and misery, with looming violations of
human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls. Addressing these important and urgent
priorities demand national governments, the international community, with the UN at the
forefront, to keep human rights at the top of our working agenda in an inclusive and transparent
way.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
More than a decade ago, Afghanistan began a new era characterized by respect to democratic
values and human rights – a truly unique chapter in the history of our country, when the
Government constitutionally committed to the realization and implementation of human rights
principles.
With the efforts of the young democratic administration since then, Afghanistan has transformed
remarkably in social, political, economic, cultural, health, education, rule of law, media, human
rights and civil society aspects, where the values of democracy have taken root and our people
are enjoying better lives.
Our achievements in the various areas of helping realize our people’s rights and freedoms since
2001 represent nothing short of a historic transformation, especially if we take into account the
historic backdrop of unspeakable physical, social and cultural destruction and suffering that the
imposed war and violence of the past more than three decades have wrought on the Afghan
nation.
At this point in time, we in Afghanistan are passing through a critical phase in our transition to
the strengthening of our national sovereignty, ownership and long-term peace, security, stability
and development.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
We’re in the midst of a number of efforts that are central to our success in the years to come and,
broadly, to the cause of a democratic, sovereign Afghanistan. These include the Transition
process and the gradual withdrawal of all NATO and other international forces from Afghanistan
by the end of 2014, our peace and reconciliation efforts, and presidential elections in early 2014.
The Government is fully confident – and I can give you that assurance with more confidence that
at any point in the past – that Afghan security forces are ready and capable to take full
responsibility for the internal security of Afghanistan and the defense of the country against
external threats.
In fact, it’s a clear and strong indication of the Afghan national security forces’ growing
capabilities that today the security of over 80 percent of the Afghan people is provided by their
fellow Afghan soldiers and police officers. Also, the fact that violence levels in areas where
security responsibilities have been transferred from international forces to Afghan forces have
dropped by up to 20 percent is a clear sign of the strategic soundness and necessity of the
transition agenda and its successful implementation. To sustain this positive momentum and
entrench the success of the transition process, we believe that further improving the quality of the
ANSF, including the accelerated provision of appropriate equipment and enablers, remains a key
priority. In this context, we’re thankful to the international community for the commitment of
long-term financing support for the Afghan national security forces during the transformation
decade of 2015-2024.
And may I take this opportunity to categorically reject recent one-sided media reports that have
taken one or two examples of bad behavior by members of the Afghan national security forces –
incidents that we’ve pursued and prosecuted severely – and turned them into a misguided and
futile attempt to discredit our national army and national police as they’re proving skeptics
wrong by effectively taking over the security and defense of their country from international
forces.
While we maintain necessary pressure on the enemy in the field of battle, it’s the Afghan
government’s firm and principled position that Afghan-led peace and reconciliation is the surest
way to end violence and ensure lasting stability in Afghanistan and the region.
Let me reiterate here once again that our peace efforts will be in accordance with the
recommendations of the historic November 2011 Loya Jirga on the peace and reconciliation
process – principles that include respect for the Afghan Constitution, the preservation of the
historic democratic and development achievements Afghanistan has made over the past decade,
and protecting the rights and freedoms of the Afghan people, including those of Afghan women
and girls who have suffered the most over these years.
The peace Loya Jirgra was the first national assembly of such magnitude on peace and
reconciliation to include a significant number of women as its participating members.
Mr. President,
To further consolidate our democratic process, the Afghan people will go to the polls in April
2014 to elect a new president. And the Afghan government is doing everything possible to make
sure the country holds free, transparent, inclusive and democratic elections, where independent
Afghan electoral institutions are to lead the entire election process without any internal or
external interference.
Mr. President,
The Government of Afghanistan stands committed to the promotion and protection of human
rights and in particular the rights of women, girls and children.
This commitment is evident at the national level in the provisions of the democratically adopted
Constitution of the country and various other laws, policies and plans enacted by the Afghan
government in accordance with our Constitution and international obligations. This commitment
is also borne out at the international level by the extensive international cooperation Afghanistan
has on human rights.
The Afghan Constitution emphasize in its Article 7 that the State shall observe the United
Nations Charter, inter-state agreements, as well as international treaties to which Afghanistan has
joined, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Government of Afghanistan has established key institutions, including the Ministry of
Women’s Affairs, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, the Elimination of
Violence Against Women Commission, the special Violence Against Women Prosecution
Office, Family Courts, Human Rights Support Unit at the Ministry of Justice, Gender Units at
several ministries, and inter-ministerial committees for reporting on the implementation of the
human rights conventions.
The Afghan government has also adopted a number of policy documents, legislation and action
plans, including the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, the Afghanistan Compact, the
National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan, our National Priority Programs, the
National Plan for Countering the Trafficking of Children, the Elimination of Violence Against
Women Law, Anti-Human Trafficking Law, Juvenile Law, Law on Persons with Disabilities,
Shelter Regulations and others, all in order to improve the human rights situation across the
country.
Moreover, our signing of various international conventions, treaties and protocols expresses
Afghanistan’s international commitments as an active member of the United Nations.
Afghanistan is party to a number of United Nations human rights conventions, including
CEDAW, CRC and its first and second optional protocol, ICCPR, UNCAT, ICESCR, CERD,
Convention on Genocide, Conventions on War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, and the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with its optional protocol and a number of
other relevant international human rights documents.
The Afghan government has taken major steps to work pragmatically for the implementation of
human rights conventions and treaties and to prepare and present national reports on their
implementation. The Universal Periodic Review Report about the General Situation of Human
Rights in Afghanistan was submitted and presented before the Human Rights Council in 2009.
The combined second-fourth periodic report of Afghanistan on the International Covenant on
Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights was presented to its relevant committee in early 2010.
The Initial Report of Afghanistan on the International Convention on the Rights of the Child was
presented to its committee in early 2011.
Moreover, the combined initial – second periodic report of Afghanistan on the Convention on the
Elimination of all forms Discriminations against Women was submitted to the relevant
Committee in 2011.
Mr. President,
Afghanistan recognizes and supports the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution
1325 in, and I quote, “reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution
of conflicts and peace building, and stressing the importance of their equal participation and full
involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security and the need
to increase their role in decision making with regard to conflict prevention and resolution.”
We have started to develop a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The National
Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security will be a prime tool for ensuring meaningful
participation of women in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and peace process and security
sector reform, where it addresses the issue of protection, prevention of violence and delivery of
relief and recovery services to women as well.
Much progress has been made in this regard and we expect to be able to launch this important
national action plan in about a year’s time from now.
In fact, Mr. President, Afghanistan has marked historic achievements in helping Afghan women
realize their god-given rights and access opportunities in all walks of life: today Afghan women
make up 27 percent of legislators in the Afghan Parliament.
Women occupy one-fourth of government jobs, including nine percent at decision-making levels
– ministers, deputy ministers, directors, a governor, a mayor, a district governor, an ambassador
and other senior diplomats.
Girls make up about 40 percent of the more than 8 million children going to schools in
Afghanistan today, a figure that was fewer than 1 million in 2001 – with no girls. Thirty percent
of school teachers and fifteen percent of university teachers are today women. Afghan women
and girls today make up 24 percent of the health sector, 5 percent of the security sector, and 30
percent of the agriculture sector. Women made up 40 percent of voters in our last presidential
elections in 2009. We have female pilots, army and police officers and professional martial
artists. Women are at least a fifty percent force behind Afghanistan’s vibrant independent media
and active civil society groups – both of which are among the most visible and concrete
achievements of the past decade.
There are indeed millions of other Afghan girls and women throughout Afghanistan today, who
are no longer living the oppressed, isolated, hopeless existence they were subjected to during the
war but even more brutally under the Taliban regime.
These achievements have come in the face of exceptionally tough conditions and persistent
ongoing challenges in the country, including serious violations against women, targeted killings,
use of civilians as shields, suicide attacks and road-side bombings by foreign-based and foreignbacked terrorists and other armed groups, including the Taliban.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, let me add that no doubt there are many challenges that both men and women
continue to face in Afghanistan, chief among them a lack of confidence-inspiring security. Our
job to help fully realize the rights of our citizens is not done yet. Our gains are many but they are
fragile and, among other things, upholding them depends upon a smooth and successful
transition up to and well beyond 2014.
We’re not complacent or naïve to claim that our struggle to ensure the rights and freedoms of our
people fully is by any means complete. We have an enormous job before us.
But I can assure you that both the Afghan government and the Afghan people, especially our
vibrant civil society and independent media, have the will, the courage and the determination to
preserve, protect, expand and improve the rights and freedoms of all our citizens, especially
those of women, girls and children as we take forward our nation’s difficult but clear and
exciting journey towards stronger democracy, better security, development and prosperity. This
is what our people crave and deserve, and this is what we will continue to remain solemnly and
unwaveringly committed to.
Thank you!