National Council of Women's Organizations Position Statement on U.S. Action in Afghanistan and Central Asia We, the 150 organizations of the National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO) that represent more than 6 million American women, urge the United States Government to restore the rights of Afghan women and girls, increase humanitarian and reconstruction assistance, and include women leaders in the peace process. We urge the United States to: Make the full restoration of women's human rights in Afghanistan a priority for U.S. foreign policy Ensure that refugees and internally displaced women and girls in camps, urban areas and villages are directly receiving U.S. food, medical, and other relief aid Restore democracy to Afghanistan, with equality between women and men and inalienable human rights for all included in a new constitution for the country Guarantee the participation of Afghan women's organizations in any peace processes and/or negotiations about the future government of Afghanistan Focus long-term reconstruction and development assistance programs in Afghanistan and Central Asia on women, who already represent 54 percent of the Afghan population and whose organizations have been delivering education, health care, and economic assistance to women and children refugees who comprise 75% of the refugee population as well as women living under Taliban rule. Increase allocations for U.S. relief and development programs in Afghanistan and Central Asia without cuts to other international aid programs or regions of the world

National Council of Women's Organizations
Position Statement on U.S. Action in Afghanistan and Central Asia cont...

Human Rights and Democracy

The complete restoration of the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan is vital for peace, democracy and reconstruction in Afghanistan and to prevent the "Talibanization" of the Central Asia region. Prior to the Taliban's take over of Afghanistan, women were a crucial part of the workforce and represented 30 percent of the civil bureaucracy. In 1964, women participated in drafting the Afghan Constitution, which included universal suffrage, an equal rights amendment, equal pay provisions, and the separation of powers with an independent judiciary. The U.S. must make the establishment of a multi-ethnic constitutional democracy that restores women's rights and includes Afghan women in leadership roles a priority. The United States would be repeating a tragic mistake if it turns to another set of fundamentalist extremists as the most expedient strategy to replace the Taliban.

Peace Process

In October 2000, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 recognized the crucial role of women in the prevention, resolution and management of conflicts as well as in peace building. As a government that has agreed to this resolution, the U.S. must guarantee that representatives of Afghan women's organizations are active in negotiations at stage of peace process. If a Loya Jirga or any other assembly takes place, there must be representation from women of each of the different parties and ethnic groups; women must be decision makers for Afghanistan's future.

Humanitarian Relief, Reconstruction and Development Assistance

Of the refugees and internally displaced persons in Afghanistan and its neighboring countries, 75 percent are women and children, many traveling without a male family member. This circumstance, combined with religious edicts that restrict women's movement and contact with men outside the family, make it difficult, or in some cases impossible, for women to access food aid, medical care, adequate shelter or other forms of assistance. U.S. activities must take the specific needs of refugee and internally displaced women into account by working together with Afghan women's organizations and women leaders among the refugee and internally displaced populations to deliver assistance. In addition, armed conflicts, such as the current war in Afghanistan, create large numbers of female-headed households where men have been conscripted, detained, separated from their family, have disappeared or are dead. The Afghan population is already 54 percent women and this gap will widen as the war progresses. Excluding the input, skills, and aspirations of the majority of the population will hobble reconstruction and development efforts, making assistance from the United States and other well-meaning donors less effective and possibly even futile.

National Council of Women's Organizations
Specific Policy Recommendations for U.S. Action in Afghanistan and Central Asia

• Dramatically increase humanitarian assistance to help Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons in camps, urban areas, and villages.
• Conduct a complete gender analysis of key development sectors, such as education, economic development, and health care, to ensure that women's needs will be met and that women will participate fully in development assistance programs.
• Devote sufficient funds to education for Afghan refugees in camps, villages and urban areas. Primary, secondary and higher education for refugee girls in necessary to compensate for the denial of education under the Taliban, and to make possible the participation of young women in the reconstruction process. The availability of education for boys is critical to counteract the madrassas (religious schools), which are the source of foot soldiers for the Taliban.
• Work with Afghan women's organizations, local organizations, the United Nations, and international non-governmental organizations to ensure that all women, including refugees and internally displaced women in camps, urban areas, and villages can access-
  
  o Nutritionally adequate food supplies
  o Shelter that protects from exposure, provides privacy, and reduces the risk of violence against women and their families
  o Health care services, medicines, equipment and health care services, particularly reproductive health services including essential obstetric care, emergency and routine contraception, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
  o Mental health care counseling with special emphasis on post-traumatic stress disorder and rape/sexual violence counseling
  o Services to unite women with their husbands, children, and other family members
  
• Develop a type of "Marshall Plan" to rebuild the democratic governance, economy and infrastructure of Afghanistan that includes the full participation of women. After World War II, the U.S. weakened fascism by assisting Germany and Japan in establishing constitutional democracies, providing rights to women and all other social groups, and in rebuilding their economies.
  
• Invest in a comprehensive program to clear all landmines in Afghanistan and other Central Asian Republics and provide aid for prosthetic equipment to victims of landmines. Nearly 80 percent of the victims of landmines in Afghanistan are children.

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