September 16, 2020
Afghanistan, for the first time, has become a member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women (CSW). The announcement came through the Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations – Adela Riaz on September 15, 2020. This position has been secured by Afghanistan for a period of four years from 2021 to 2025.
The main contenders for securing the seat included India, Afghanistan, and the People’s Republic of China. Afghanistan got 39 of the 54 votes to secure its seat in the commission. India was also able to win a seat but China failed to secure the seat this time.
CSW is the main international intergovernmental body working for the women empowerment and gender equality. Formed as a functional commission of UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it is actively engaged in the promotion of women’s rights, portraying their real condition around the world – forming global norms on gender equality and women empowerment.
According to the representative, winning the seat was extremely important for Afghanistan. With the intra-Afghan talks going on, hopes are high that this advancement will help in the proper representation of Afghan women and might even support the Afghan women in their struggle for defending their rights.
The report is compiled by Laraib Nisar, who is a Defense and Strategic Studies’ graduate and works as an Intern at Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad.
© Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and Afghan Studies Center (ASC), Islamabad.
