„Improvement in the situation of women in Afghanistan through the results of the Loya Jirga questionable“

Kabul/Cologne, January 2004. At the beginning of January, the three-week consultation period of the Great Council “Loya Jirga” in Kabul/Afghanistan ended with the ratification of the Constitution. 500 delegates, 100 of them women, had participated in the council under strict security measures.

The women's aid and human rights organisation medica mondiale e.V. lent its support to participants of the Loya Jirga by sending members of its Afghan staff. As this organisation concluded: “This Loya Jirga has done little or nothing to improve the situation of women in Afghanistan” says CEO and founder of medica mondiale, Dr. Monika Hauser.

for the complete report  

Report on the Loya Jirga

Cologne/Kabul, June 28th, 2002. Now that the Loya Jirga in Afghanistan has come to an end, the women delegates are somewhat disappointed about the way it progressed and its results. This is the conclusion of medica mondiale staff member Beate Ziegler. Here are the notes of her impressions:

• In cooperation with other international women's organisations, medica mondiale staff member Rachel Wareham had prepared the approx. 160 female delegates for participation in the Loya Jirga in a preliminary step. This included reinforcing the participants, providing information about their chartered rights, and reaching a consensus on their common goals and demands. This offer was eagerly accepted by the highly motivated women. medica mondiale staff members were surprised that female delegates made urgent demands that women traumatised by war in Afghanistan be given psychological counselling.
• Massouda Jalal`s courage to run for President had quite an effect on the public. Her slogan: “I am your sister”, in which she alluded to the father-like status of Afghanistan's former king, Zahir Shah, gave rise to a great deal of discussion about the role of women in politics among males and females alike.
• The power and strength with which the women made their appearance before the Loya Jirga made them heroines among those Afghan women who are progressive thinkers.
• 
• The fact that the Women` s Ministry was the last to which members were appointed is a clear sign of how difficult it will be for women to achieve justice and an equal footing in making political decisions in Afghanistan. In his inaugural speech, Hamid Karzal mentioned women in connection with his comments on widows only – democratic rights for women, education, avengement of war crimes against women and many other points were not mentioned. Here a great deal of work will have to be done by the international community of nations.
• The disproportionately high presence of conservatives, warlords and mullahs at the Loya Jirga was subject to strong critical comment from the women delegates – also, because it does not reflect the real distribution of political inclinations among the Afghan people.
• Furthermore, threats, blackmail and similar actions against women were on the agenda of the Loya Jirga – carried out by men who are becoming increasingly afraid that the political dedication of women could be a threat to attaining their goals.
• The women also described the appearance of warlords like Rashid Dostum and others as very intimidating – especially as they were surrounded by up to ten bodyguards.
• The women among the delegates would have appreciated stronger support of their political interests on the part of Western nations. In preliminary stages and during the Loya Jirga itself, little presence was noticeable. Above all, support is needed in building up organisations friendly to women and social institutions which include women for democratic reasons
• 
• The discourse of the women who had been highly motivated to speak before the Loya Jirga was rudely interrupted by the men. Women were often refused the microphone and were often denied admission to the venue where the Loya Jirga was being held. When they finally were permitted to speak, the microphone was torn away from them after a short time. The warlords of the various Afghan factions, on the other hand, were allowed unlimited expression of their views.
• Many women expressed their exasperation about the fact that the key ministries were staffed only by men– the Ministry of Finance, for example, or the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Defence. (This had already been voiced in the preparatory seminar).
  It became clear that the political climate of Afghanistan will not favour having women in these positions for a long time to come
• There were impulses to discuss the formation of a Tribunal on War Criminals- mainly upon the demand and in the interest of women. However, both men and women agreed that peace must be secured in Afghanistan before the next step can be taken.
• The report that Chief of State Hamid Karzai wants to base Afghan law on the Sharia, Islamic law, was not confirmed by Karzai's press department. This had been the rumour in Germany. Still, this is not a sign of the all-clear: at the moment it is not known to what extent the Sharia will be recognised in Afghanistan. As it is, countless rumours are being spread throughout Afghanistan, mainly by conservatives.