Equality for Afghan Women Remains a Critical Goal for President Ghani

By Mayesha Alam

Originally featured in Global Post here.

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Afghanistan is at a crossroads. After taking office in a close election last year, President Ashraf Ghani has struggled to form a government and build a solid partnership with his political rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who was appointed chief executive officer in a power-sharing compromise.

Ghani ran as a reform candidate. He promised to reform policies, institutions and public discourse. On the key issue of women’s rights, he is trying to live up to his pledge.

After a woman was beaten and set on fire for allegedly desecrating the Quran, President Ghani ordered an investigation. He said, “No individual is allowed to make oneself a judge and use violence to punish others.”

An arrest in the case was an important signal his government would no longer tolerate violence against women or pursuing vigilante justice in the name of Islam.

On March 21, the eve of his first official visit to the United States, President Gahni announced 16 new cabinet nominees that included four women. This encouraging step is in line with an earlier commitment to appointing women in senior level positions of government.

The president invited a group of prominent Afghan women to join his official delegation to Washington, including Dr. Sima Samar, chairperson of the Independent Afghan Human Rights Commission; Dr. Habiba Sarabi, first female governor of a province; Nargis Nehan, founder and head of women’s civil society organization called Equality for Peace and Democracy; and Kamila Sadiqi, an entrepreneur and business owner profiled in Gayle Lemmon’s best-selling book The Dressmaker of Khair Khana.

These respected, pioneering Afghan women leaders served as advisers during President Ghani’s trip and help keep women’s empowerment squarely on the agenda.

Rula Ghani, the president’s wife, has been a crucial ally and spokesperson in the government’s outreach to women. On a visit to Washington in February, she explained how she sees herself as a “listener.” She has pledged to hear the grievances of ordinary Afghans, especially women, to enable her to help devise solutions on issues such as unemployment or access to basic services.

This is a remarkable turn of events. Mrs. Ghani’s public leadership stands in stark contrast to that of her predecessor, Zeenat Karzai, who was rarely seen and did not campaign for her husband.

Mrs. Ghani’s words and actions are sanctioned by the new president. He has supported her participation in international conferences where she has repeatedly spoken on the need for women’s empowerment in Afghanistan. With his encouragement, Mrs. Ghani has created new initiatives to connect Afghan women and youth to resources that can improve their lives.

Her messages have been sensitive to local culture. She has sought to inspire Afghan citizens participate in civic action. She routinely refers to historical examples of Muslim women leaders, including from the time of Prophet Muhammad, which makes it difficult for naysayers to accuse her of espousing Western or un-Islamic beliefs and traditions.

She is highly educated, dignified and charming. She is creating a model for young Afghan women who are trying to find their own voices.

President Ghani’s rhetoric and recent actions, along with his wife’s public persona, provide reasons for cautious optimism about the government’s commitment to women’s rights.

It is clear, however, that the ultimate measure of progress will be access to higher education for common Afghan women, freedom to exercise their productive potential in the formal economy, hold leadership positions in government and civil society and participate in the all-crucial peace process.

As anticipation rises for the prospect of negotiations with the Taliban, a fundamental question remains: what about Afghan women and girls? Will their rights be bargained away in a peace arrangement with the Taliban? Will they be invited to share their perspectives as part of the dialogue and hold decision-making positions?

In February, Mrs. Ghani said, “If peace and reconciliation with the Taliban happens, you can be sure that women won’t lose their rights…My husband won’t allow that.” But, she also acknowledged, “Whether or not women will be at the table, I don’t know.”

The High Peace Council is currently comprised of 61 men and only nine women. Moreover, the daily insecurity that women face — especially in rural and remote areas where they continue to be marginalized — is an issue of grave concern.  Women must be safe and free in their homes, in their communities and beyond to live as full and equal citizens.

The simple reality is that Afghanistan cannot move forward if half its population is left behind. The well being of the Afghan women — including the protection of their rights as well participation in political and socioeconomic life — will be vital to ensuring democracy and prosperity.

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Mayesha Alam is the Associate Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the author of Women and Transitional Justice: Progress and Persistent Challenges. 

Women’s Equality Isn’t a Zero Sum Game. It’s Vital for Peace and Prosperity.

By Ambassador Melanne Verveer and Mayesha Alam

Originally posted in The Guardian here.

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There is a plethora of data which demonstrates that women’s economic participation grows economies, creates jobs and builds inclusive prosperity. As essential as women’s equality is for growth, it is often stymied by discriminatory laws, customs, and structural barriers that restrict women from full participating in the formal economy. In no country is the gender equality gap completely closed.

In the United States, women still do not receive equal pay for equal work. The pay gap has barely changed in a decade, it exists in nearly every occupation and it is exacerbated for women of color and older women. The lack of paid maternity leave makes it difficult for women to have children and also work outside the home. The resulting loss of income hurts families and the larger economy.

The international community has acknowledged the essential role that women play in peace and prosperity, which is particularly evident in conflict zones. Secretary of State John Kerry noted, “Countries that value and empower women to participate fully in decision-making are more stable, prosperous and secure. The opposite is also true. When women are excluded from negotiations, the peace that follows is more tenuous. Trust is eroded, and human rights and accountability are often ignored”.

For countries emerging out of conflict, women’s access to jobs and markets is essential to ensuring stability. Peace agreements alone do not bring security; employment brings stability that is critical to security. Access to a sustainable livelihood is especially important for women survivors of conflict who must care for themselves and dependents such as children and elderly parents.

We have seen an example of progress in the Philippines – where women have helped lead peace negotiations that culminated in a historic agreement between the government and rebel forces in the Mindanao region. There, for the first time ever, a woman was the chief signatory to a peace agreement in 2014. Women continue to be seen and treated as merely victims during armed conflict and while they are subjected to unique and disproportionate harms – including sexual violence – they also represent the greatest untapped resource to creating a more peaceful world.

Women’s political participation has been the area where progress has been slowest, even while other indicators have improved. Rates of women’s participation in parliaments and as heads of state are low in both the US and internationally. Rwanda serves an example of success, where women have led the charge to transform their country after the horrific 1994 genocide; it is the only country in the world with a higher percentage of female parliamentarians (64%).

Where women and girls can access education and employment alongside men and boys, countries are more likely to prosper. Yet women in many countries still lack access to education and vocational training. In Pakistan and Nigeria, extremists threaten and commit violence against girls seeking to go to school. In Afghanistan, girls’ enrollment in primary education has increased drastically in the last decade but there has been less progress on higher education for women. Lack of access to education is exacerbated in refugee settings and for internally displaced persons while child marriage continues to disempower young women and undercut their potential to live productive and happy lives.

As we mark International Women’s Day, we should act on our collective unfinished agenda, wherever we live. Despite the genuine progress that has been achieved, our work remains incomplete. Even where laws exist to protect women from harm, enforcement is often lacking. Moreover, gains have been uneven, not only from one geographic region to another but within countries across urban and rural divides.

Empowering women and girls worldwide is strategic and smart. No country can get ahead if it leaves half of its population behind. This is the great, unfinished agenda of the 21st century.

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Melanne Verveer was the inaugural U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s issues from 2009 to 2013. She now serves as the Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.

Mayesha Alam is the Associate Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the author of Women and Transitional Justice: Progress and Persistent Challenges (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).

Economic Opportunity for Women in Rural Afghanistan: A Survivor Story

Originally posted by TO THE MARKET in the HuffPost Impact Blog here.

ARZU means “hope” in Dari, one of Afghanistan’s official languages. For the female employees of ARZU Studio Hope, however, it means more than hope — it means opportunity. ARZU empowers Afghan women to “lift themselves and their families out of poverty through ethical, artisan-based employment, education, and access to healthcare.” Education is paramount: in a country where education opportunities for girls and women are almost non-existent in rural areas, 100 percent of ARZU weavers are literate. Outside the classroom, education continues with the goal of economic empowerment. A holistic cycle takes place: Women and girls learn to weave and knot rugs which then creates income for their families, education, and the facilities ARZU uses as schools, community gardens, and recreation centers.

We had the opportunity to interview one of these extraordinary artisans who has survived decades of war and conflict. Her name is Masuma. She was born in Dragon Valley, Bamiyan, but was forced to leave due to the Taliban occupation. Through working with ARZU, Masuma has been able to reclaim her life, her home, and her sense of self. Here are some the thoughts she shared with us:

TO THE MARKET: Tell us about your childhood.
Masuma: In the late 1990s, Taliban violence forced my family to flee to Kabul from Bamiyan when I was only three years old. With danger in Kabul mounting, my family moved once again, this time to a refugee camp in Pakistan. While there, my mother and grandmother weaved rugs, but even though they worked tirelessly, they could not earn enough money to even buy food for the family. In October 2005, we returned to Bamiyan and joined ARZU’s weaving program in 2007.

TO THE MARKET: Did you have the opportunity to seek an education?
Masuma: Due to the gap in my education while living as a refugee, I was behind my peers in Government School and was not able to attend. With help from ARZU, I was able was able to continue my education, eventually enrolling in Government School.

ARZU helped a lot. Through the fast track classes I was able to stay in school, and I recently enrolled in ARZUs English classes. With education I know I will have good opportunities in the future. That’s why I encourage my siblings to continue their education as well. I want them to become educated so that there are other ways for them to live and not be blinded in life.

TO THE MARKET: Tell us more about working.
Masuma: Last year, I started weaving Peace Cord bracelets for ARZU part-time. I feel very proud that I am able to contribute to my family and help my mother and grandmother with daily expenses and the education of my siblings. As a wage earner, I am a contributor, rather than burden to my family. When a person works and earns her own income, it automatically gives her a power in family. I have this power now

TO THE MARKET: So what inspires you?
Masuma: Education. Growing up as a refugee without a home or country, I never thought of the future. I thought of only the moment I was in because that is all that I knew. ARZU helped me to be literate and go to Government School. I know that if I continue my education I can have good opportunities in the future, and I always encourage my brothers and sister to continue their education. My view of life has changed now, and I have hope for the future and my country.

To learn more about ARZU Studio Hope and shop their Peace Cords, click here.

Want to help survivors like Masuma this Valentine’s Day? Follow TO THE MARKET on social media and share this story using the hashtag #AHeartforSurvivors!

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 TO THE MARKET | Survivor-made Goods is a social enterprise focused on the promotion of goods made by and stories told by survivors of conflict, abuse, and disease. Jane Mosbacher Morris is the Founder and CEO TO THE MARKET, having previously served as the Director of Humanitarian Action for the McCain Institute for International Leadership, where she managed the Institute’s human trafficking. Prior to joining the Institute, Jane worked in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. You can follow TO THE MARKET on Instagram,Facebook, and Twitter @LetsgoTTM and on Pinterest, Google+, and Youtube @TOTHEMARKET.  

Moving the Needle Forward on Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

This article by Ambassador Verveer was originally posted on The Huffington Post here.

This weekend, policy and thought leaders gathered in Norway for the Oslo Symposium on Advancing Women’s Rights and Empowerment in Afghanistan, which was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Afghanistan and the U.S. Department of State, along with the Afghan Women’s Network, the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. The symposium brought together government leaders, civil society representatives, Afghan and international experts, and an impressive Afghan delegation led by First Lady Rula Ghani to discuss ways Afghans and the international community can continue to work together to sustain and advance gains made by women and girls in Afghanistan.

There is growing momentum in Afghanistan today. Millions of Afghans voted in the presidential elections, and the new unity government is enjoying strong support. On December 4, at the London Conference on Afghanistan, the Afghan government is expected to set out its vision for reform, and the international community is expected to demonstrate its continuing support for Afghanistan.

Earlier in the week, the Asia Foundation released its annual Survey of the Afghan People for 2014, giving us up-to-date insight on what Afghans believe to be the biggest areas of progress and the serious challenges that still remain in their country. This year’s survey included interviews of more than 9,000 citizens from all 34 of the country’s provinces. This is a critical time to reflect on the significant progress that has been made by and for the Afghan people, and to listen to the priorities of women in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has changed significantly since the fall of the Taliban, and the ways in which Afghans view themselves and their country continue to evolve. As we see in the Asia Foundation survey, Afghans are more optimistic and hopeful about the future. Afghans are showing greater support for the Afghan Army, as well as support for the international role in providing technical and advisory assistance to the army and police. Afghans claim being Afghan as a defining feature of their identity.

Although change in some of these areas remains challenging, the progress is well-documented. According to the survey, Afghans perceive some of the biggest problems facing their country to be insecurity — some 65% are concerned about security — unemployment and corruption. These are challenges that both men and women in Afghanistan confront, but women face an additional set of challenges — and successes — that are specific to them. Women want greater opportunities for education and employment, as well as protection from violence. Domestic violence continues to be pervasive.

An interesting change that has come about in recent years is that women are seeking employment in steadily increasing numbers, and are demanding greater opportunities for education as well. This indicates that women are no longer seeing their place in society as solely within the home; many Afghan women see themselves as needed breadwinners who have the right to work. This shift in mindset is a marked contrast from a decade ago. Women are also reporting instances of domestic violence at higher rates, which suggests that women are now recognizing domestic violence as a crime that they feel able to report. The fact that Afghan women are prioritizing these issues is an indicator of the societal shifts that are taking place in large measure because of women’s leadership and engagement.

Many women fear that any future negotiations with the Taliban could lead to a reversal in the gains they have made. Numerous human rights violations continue to be committed against women and girls in Afghanistan on a regular basis. Women’s full participation in the decisions of their government, including in any future negotiations to end the conflict, is essential if Afghanistan is going to solidify the gains that have been made and build a better future.

When women progress, all of society makes progress. That is true in Afghanistan and around the world. The message out of Oslo this weekend was that we must continue to enable and empower the women of Afghanistan, who, as Mrs. Ghani noted, have a significant role to play in “returning peace and prosperity to Afghanistan.”

Ambassador Verveer is the Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. She served as the first Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues with the U.S. Department of State.

The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Securing Education for Girls

“We must never make schools battlefields of war or instruments of terror” – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, Nigeria

Since Boko Haram’s kidnapping of more than 250 schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok in April, the world’s attention has turned to Nigeria, where 10.5 million children are currently out of school. Nigeria is now the largest economy in Africa, having surpassed South Africa, and has enormous potential for future growth and leadership in Africa. However, without educating its young people, this potential will stagnate. In Northern Nigeria, where Boko Haram is still active, a child is 30 times more likely to be out of school than in Southern Nigeria. While Boko Haram is a critical threat that needs to be addressed, there are also other challenges that affect whether or not a school is safe.

On Friday, September 26, the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security hosted an event entitled “Advancing Safe Access to Education for Girls’ Education in Nigeria and Beyond.” The event featured remarks from Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, and discussed the global issue of safe and secure education for children worldwide.

At Friday’s event, Minister Okonjo-Iweala discussed some of the infrastructure changes that would help improve school safety, such as solar panels to provide 24/7 electricity for schools and dormitories, better sanitation facilities so that girls do not need to walk from their school and dorm rooms to use the bathroom, and alarm systems that would serve as an internal notification system if there were an attack at the school. Currently, the Nigerian government is addressing the problem by allowing girls from the Northern regions that are threatened to transfer to different schools with a full scholarship. She emphasized that the Nigerian government is working to secure the safe return of the Chibok schoolgirls and safe access to education for all students.

At the April meeting of the World Economic Forum in Abuja, only days after the Boko Haram kidnappings, the Nigerian business community committed $10 million to improving safe schools. The government of Nigeria followed with a matching $10 million commitment. Additionally, the U.K. government has committed $1 million, and the Norwegian government has committed $1.5 million. However, financing is only one piece of the puzzle. It is essential that the public and private sectors work together and combine their resources and knowledge in order to ensure safe access to education.

Given the importance of public-private partnership in addressing safe access to education, GIWPS will be partnering with leading strategy and management consulting firm Accenture to take an important first step in addressing Nigeria’s needs. Accenture has committed to conducting a landscape analysis of investments by the private sector in Nigeria focused on shared values. The study will document and assess existing initiatives in order to identify potential synergies (as well as certain gaps) that can be leveraged to address this critical issue and related issues affecting women and girls in Nigeria.

Girls’ education is absolutely essential for economic growth and stability. As Minister Okonjo-Iweala said: “No matter how well an economy does, we will fail to reduce inequality if we do not secure education for girls.”

You can watch the full video of the symposium here and watch the Twitter conversation from the event at #SecureGirlsEd. 

Alexandra Z. Safir is the Program Coordinator for the International Council on Women’s Business Leadership at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.

Securing Safe Access to Education for Girls in Nigeria and Beyond

Originally posted in Huffington Post here.

In April 2014, the world’s attention turned to Nigeria as word spread that the militant group Boko Haram had kidnapped some 257 schoolgirls from Chibok and held them hostage. Boko Haram, which translates to “Western education is forbidden,” reportedly sold girls into slavery, and forced them to convert to Islam and marry members of the group. Since then, Boko Haram has continued its violent political agenda by specifically targeting civilians, including multiple attacks on schools, colleges, and universities. These acts of violence have rightly triggered a global outcry from world leaders and civil society activists, including in the form of the#BringBackOurGirls campaign. Despite the international response, the girls have not been released. Ensuring safe access to education is critical in Nigeria and in other places from Afghanistan to Sudan.

Across the globe, 62 million girls are out of school, and millions more are fighting to stay there. In Nigeria, the number of children out of school represents almost 20 percent of the world total. The majority of children not in school are in conflict-affected and emergency-stricken areas. Girls often face safety and security threats that undermine their access to education, such as sexual violence, acid attacks, and death threats, and these challenges are worsened by protracted violent conflicts. In these conflict regions, families are often forced to make an agonizing choice: to send their daughters to school and possibly risk their lives, or to keep them out of school and jeopardize their potential. In many places, such as Yemen, Bangladesh, and Niger, early and forced marriage keeps girls out of school against their wishes. The World Health Organization estimates that 39,000 girls are subjected to child marriage every day and that, without drastic change, some 50 million girls will be married off before the age of 15 between 2011 and 2010. In addition to losing out on education and economic opportunities, child brides are more susceptible to maternal mortality or morbidity, more likely to face intimate partner violence, and sexual violence compared to those who marry as adults.

Ensuring girls have safe and continued access to education is critical, not only on an individual basis but also on a global scale. Research shows that educating girls is the smartest socioeconomic investment that any community or country can make, resulting in stronger families, communities and countries. As we have seen, educating girls has a multiplier effect with benefits in health, broad-based economic growth and poverty reduction. When 10% more girls go to school, a country’s GDP increases on average by 3%. Wages rise 20% for every year beyond 4th grade that a girl remains in school.

Mothers are their children’s first teachers. When girls stay in school, early marriage rates drop and their children are also more likely to be educated. However, there are numerous barriers that prevent girls from continuing on to secondary education. Some parents choose to enroll their sons rather than their daughters. Many schoolslack access to sanitation for girls, and cultural norms can forbid girls from attending school while they are menstruating. Girls drop out due to inability to afford school fees, or the need to earn an income for their family. It is critical that these barriers are reduced and girls remain in school.

At the same time, it is important to remember that safe access to education is needed worldwide for girls and boys. There would be a 12 percent drop in global poverty if all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills. Education has been shown to be a life-saving intervention, particularly in regions of conflict and disaster. Each additional year of schooling for a country’s population reduces the changes of falling into civil war by 3.6%. Research and experience tell us that we can and must do better.

Individuals and groups from around the world are partnering to ensure that girls have safe access to education. From the Malala Fund to USAID’s Let Girls Learn Initiative, from Girl Rising to A World at School, millions of dollars are being invested in girls’ education worldwide. At the Clinton Global Initiative this week, a $600 million commitment was made by a range of donors to support girls secondary education in Africa and southeast Asia. In investing in education for boys and girls, we invest in stronger societies, more prosperous economies, and reinforce world peace and stability. All of us must do our parts: governments, civil society and the private sector. This must be our common cause.

Watch the video and read the conversation from the Symposium on Advancing Safe Access to Education for Girls in Nigeria and Beyond featuring USAID Administrator Raj Shah and Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala hosted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace & Security at #SecureGirlsEd.

Ambassador Melanne Verveer is the Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and most recently served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues with the U.S. Department of State.