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

4.6 Promoting a culture of peace and non-violence
The sector will continue to strive for a society that rejects war and all forms of violence and that
promotes justice and peace. Non-violent means of managing conflicts in all spheres of life will
be taught and promoted and will include counseling to manage violent behavior. In partnership
with educational, religious, cultural, media, and other organizations, the sector will develop and
implement a peace education strategy mindful of the important role that women could play, both
in the private and public spheres. Mechanisms for transitional justice and peace education will be
pursued in all possible fields with a view to dealing with the past and building a new generation
of citizens who can sustain the ideals of peace and justice that are enshrined in the Constitution.
The government, in cooperation with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
(AIHRC), will continue to involve and seek the views of women from academe and the local
community in truth-seeking mechanisms, especially on how to handle gender based violence and
other crimes committed against women. The government will also support women‘s involvement
in conflict resolution initiatives and the establishent of reconciliation committees within existing
structures, such as the Provincial and District Councils, as well as through other mechanisms such
as reconciliation and mediation.
Detailed strategies on integrating women into the Action Plan on Peace, Reconciliation and
Justice in Afghanistan as designers, implementers and participants will be adopted. Effective
means of addressing crimes against women through this process will be developed. More
specifically, the government will continue to consult with women from civil society, academia
and community leadership to formulate recommendations for mechanisms for truth-seeking and
documentation in Afghanistan, giving special consideration to handling gender-based violence
and other crimes committed against women. Particular attention will be paid to ensuring that
women who speak out about crimes committed against them are protected and assured of the
confidentiality of their testimony. Noting that women have been and remain primary victims of
the conflict in Afghanistan, once sufficient documentation has been gathered, a reparations
program that benefits women will be developed. The Government will also explore how women
can participate in promoting reconciliation and national unity. Additionally, the Government will
support the development of a means of pursuing criminal justice to investigate and prosecute
mass atrocities and systematic violations of human rights. Throughout this process, particular
attention will be paid to crimes against women and children.
5. PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Policies and
Strategies
Programs, Projects and Activities Time Frame Cooperating
Ministries and
Partners
Mandatory
review of
security
policies and
programs
from a gender
perspective
• Creation of gender task force
within the security sector to
undertake a participatory
gender review of security
policies and programs
• Development and issuance of
instructions on the security
Year 1
Year 1
Ministry of Defense,
Ministry of Interior
Affairs, Ministry of
Women’s Affairs,
International
Security Assistance
Force, Afghan
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