Gender Concerns International hosted both a Side Event (22 March), in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations, and a Parallel Event (19 March) at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York. Both events successfully highlighted the importance of sustainable support to women’s political participation and female leadership in Afghanistan.
The CSW60 Agreed Conclusions is an important document, written in the process of intense negotiations, that reaffirms the commitment of the international community to achieve full gender equality. In line with the vision of Gender Concerns International, an emphasis is laid on effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making. The importance of women’s political participation and leadership is highlighted in the context of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (11); in the context of responding to and preventing humanitarian emergencies, such as the trafficking in persons and terrorism (12); in the context of addressing climate change and other environmental issues (l); and in the context of addressing specific needs of women and girls being displaced by conflicts, regarding recovery, reconstruction, and conflict resolution (m). Furthermore, the Commission urges relevant stakeholders to promote a safe and enabling environment for Civil Society, and to increase resources and support for women’s organizations.