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

Government policies and strategies adopted for this sector are derived from the Constitutional
guarantees of equality and non-discrimination, as well as the numerous principles articulated in
the I-ANDS and the Afghanistan Compact, most notably the commitment to build human
capacities of women and men alike.
4.1 Mandatory review of major security policies and programs from a gender perspective
The policies and programs identified in the I-ANDS security chapter, including the national
Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) program and the National Afghan
Security Policy (NASP), will be reviewed from a gender perspective. The following dimensions
of the government‘s security strategy will be examined on a periodic basis:
(a) overall impact on women;
(b) quantitative and qualitative assessment of the engagement of women as participants and
leaders in policymaking, program development, implementation and security service;
(c) contribution to development of women‘s human capital; and
(d) gender capacities of policy makers, decision makers and implementers of such policies
and programs.
Where necessary, corrective measures will be taken to ensure that such policies and programs
work towards gender equality.
4.2 Assessment of existing gender tools, mechanisms and approaches
The content and implementation of existing tools and approaches on gender, such as the Gender
Guidelines for Mine Action Programs, will be assessed with a view to strengthen their gender
responsiveness and expand their implementation. ―Gender‖ is not a ―women‘s issue‖. Gender
tools, trainings, mechanisms, and approaches will focus on promoting understanding of women
and men‘s experiences in order to promote equal rights and power. The use of such tools and
approaches will be incorporated into orientation and training programs of relevant staff, including
policy makers in the sector, police and military, and will be monitored periodically as part of the
regular monitoring work of the sector‘s ministries and agencies.
4.3 Affirmative action policy
Consistent with the Government‘s commitment to raise women‘s representation in all Afghan
institutions and to institutionalize affirmative action in the civil service, the Ministries of Interior
and Defense will devise a strategy to attain a minimum 20 percent increase over a period of 10
years in the current level of women‘s representation in their respective ministries. The
government and its partners will undertake campaigns and provide scholarships, accelerated
trainings and other measures to guarantee a sufficient supply of women applicants to both
ministries. Accordingly, and using the same targets, the promotion of women to higher ranks,
especially to decision making positions, will be pursued. Women in such positions will be given
access to mentors and education to fill gaps in skills and knowledge. Furthermore, women
working within government will be provided with access to family care facilities. The Central
Statistics Office (CSO) is directed to track the progress achieved by both ministries in this regard
and submit an annual report to the Office of the President through MOWA. Advocacy to
implement affirmative action in other security-related mechanisms such as the Provincial
Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) will also be pursued.
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