National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan - The Secretary ...

―States Parties shall take in all fields, in particular in the political, social, economic, and
cultural fields, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full
development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the
exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality
with men.‖
CEDAW calls for specific measures, among others, in
1. modifying social and cultural patterns of conduct of women and men;
2. ensuring shared responsibility of women and men in the upbringing of children;
3. suppression of trafficking in and exploitation of women;
4. elimination of discrimination against women in political and public life;
5. equal representation of women in international affairs;
6. retention of nationality;
7. equality in education;
8. elimination of discrimination against women in employment;
9. free choice of profession;
10. elimination of discrimination against women in health care;
11. right to family benefits, bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit;
12. attention to the problems and contributions of rural women; and
13. equal rights in family relations and marriage.
Since the implementation of CEDAW is obligatory for government, NAPWA adopts CEDAW
provisions in totality, with proper consideration of the processes needed to harmonize it with
Shari‘a law and Constitutional provisions.
The Beijing Platform for Action: The Platform was adopted during the Fourth World Conference
on Women in Beijing. It provides for strategic measures that have to be adopted to advance the
status of women and embodies an analysis of women‘s issues and the measures to be adopted in
12 priority areas of concern:
1. Women and poverty;
2. Education and training of women;
3. Women and health;
4. Violence against women;
5. Women and armed conflict;
6. Women and the economy;
7. Women in power and decision making;
8. Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women;
9. Human rights of women;
10. Women and the media;
11. Women and the environment; and
12. The girl child.
NAPWA will be implemented with the BPFA principles and platform in mind. The analytical
perspective and the strategic measures of the BPFA have illuminated the identification of actions
to be pursued under NAPWA and would continue to serve as frame of reference in its
implementation.
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