YouSaid · the spoken record

Haress

lines on the record
9
first
2018-12-17
most recent
2018-12-17
sittings or episodes
1
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “The cost would be borne not only by the international community, but also by ordinary Afghans, as the hope they felt in the recent elections for a democratic Afghanistan would be cruelly snatched from them.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  2. “Afghanistan's Constitution allows amendments to fundamental rights only if the objective is to improve them. On election day, the Taliban attempted to intimidate people into staying home and deemed the democratic process a sham. It is therefore clear that the Taliban's intent to make amendments would not improve the Constitution but instead result in bartering away the rights and freedoms for which we have fought for 17 years. Making changes to the Constitution in order to negotiate peace is a red line we must not cross. I therefore urge the Security Council to ensure that all peace negotiations or talks adhere to the framework of the current Constitution. Any compromise concerning citizens' rights and liberties would erase the hard-won gains of nearly two decades.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  3. “The Government of Afghanistan must also ensure transparency and keep citizens informed of any developments in the peace process. The establishment of the Constitution in 2004 marked a significant break from Afghanistan's decades of war and lawlessness. Despite the years of conflict following the adoption of the Constitution, Afghanistan has made modest progress with regard to the rule of law, democratic governance and human rights, particularly women's rights. However, this progress has been placed in serious jeopardy by repeated suggestions that the Constitution be amended to accommodate the demands of the Taliban. Such suggestions raise concerns over preserving democratic governance, the protection of human rights and the separation ofpowers as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  4. “It is therefore vital that the Government engage civil society and ordinary Afghans from all walks of life so that they have a say in the future of their country and feel ownership over the decisions that will determine it. The Government must ensure that any continuing obstacles to the participation of women in all spheres of public and political life are eliminated and that their inclusion is a non-negotiable priority. Women must have formal, substantive and specific roles at every level of the peace process. In addition, youth, the generation that will bear the consequences of the current peace process, must also be consulted, have direct access to the negotiating table and be included in the peace agreements.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  5. “Women have seen major advances in recent years, including in basic access to education, health and work, and have significantly contributed to the development of post-Taliban Afghanistan. However, despite the important role that women have played in bringing about social change in the country, gender inequality and numerous barriers to their meaningful participation persist. Afghan women suffer from violence, insecurity and lack of access to justice. Given the history of the Taliban in Afghanistan, building sustainable peace while preventing the re-establishment of extremist rule depends on the meaningful inclusion of women. To ensure sustainable peace, those affected by the conflict must be an important part ofthe peace process, both in negotiations and in envisioning solutions.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  6. “It is vital that those challenges be addressed prior to the upcoming presidential elections. Afghanistan has suffered from war throughout most of its recent history. Conflict has killed thousands of Afghans, destroyed villages and infrastructure and forced many to flee their homes. Peacebuilding is therefore an urgent priority. Positive developments, such as recent political agreements with the Taliban, have given many Afghans hope. However, those negotiations have also raised serious concerns regarding the meaningful participation of women and youth in the ensuing peace process. Article 22 of the Constitution of Afghanistan guarantees the equality of women and men before the law.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  7. “The risk of violence before and on election day led to many polling centres remaining closed. At other centres across the country, voters were killed or injured by militant attacks, roadside bombs or suicide bombers. In addition to those grave security threats, there was widespread disappointment at the underperformance of the Independent Election Commission. Voters complained about technical and organizational problems, including the late opening of polling centres, the absence of electoral staff and materials and technical difficulties with the use of biometrics machines, which were intended to prevent fraud. Thousands of complaints have been registered with the Electoral Complaints Commission and other related monitoring institutions, which reflect the inability of those bodies to fulfil their obligations.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  8. “Four million Afghans - women and men, young and old, urban and rural - came out to vote. Women, who went to the polling centres to fulfil their civic duty at great personal risk, constituted 34 per cent of voters. The participation ofAfghan youth was also noteworthy - young women and men ran for office across the country, promising a more educated Parliament that would be less paralysed by corruption. In a country scarred by ongoing conflict, the strong participation ofcitizens in this election was a significant achievement and an assurance that democratic institutions would be established, in accordance with the Constitution. However, the elections were also marred by significant challenges that must be addressed before the presidential elections in April 2019.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source

  9. “Ms. Haress: I speak today as a professional Afghan woman who has worked for decades to advance human rights, economic empowerment and democracy in my country. I am also a member of the Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution. I am here to brief the Security Council on the recent political developments in Afghanistan. My statement will address the recent and upcoming elections, the role of women and youth in the peace talks and the crucial importance of adhering to the constitutional framework in the current peace negotiations in order to protect the civil liberties of Afghan citizens and put my country on the road to democracy. Afghan citizens defied threats of violence to participate in the long-overdue parliamentary elections of 20 October.”

    2018-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8426 (2018) · source