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UK warns peace talks ‘fail without women’
The UK has urged countries and UN agencies to give more women a meaningful role in peace talks and protect them from violence while they are on the frontline of negotiations, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the first UN Security Council resolution on women’s inclusion in peace and security
In a virtual address to the United Nations the UK Middle East Minister James Cleverly, said: “We know that when women have a seat at the table, peace negotiations are less likely to fail, which is why 20 years ago, every country at the UN pledged to increase their participation.
“Yet the proportion of women still hasn’t increased, and when women are included, they increasingly suffer threats against their lives,” he said.
“World leaders must now put words into action and follow the UK’s lead of protecting women on the frontline and lobbying for greater inclusion,” James noted.
According to research by UN Women and the Council on Foreign Relations, when women meaningfully participate in peace talks, the resulting agreement is 64% less likely to fail and 35% more likely to last at least 15 years. Yet between 1990 and 2017, women made up only 2% of mediators, 8% of negotiators, and 5% of witnesses and signatories in all major peace processes.
In the meeting, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also called for expedited empowerment and protection of women in conflict situations.
Ensuring that women play their full part in peace processes, he said, requires stronger partnerships between the United Nations, regional organizations, Member States and civil society, using all tools and innovative solutions.
Meanwhile, UK said in a statement on Thursday that the country’s Minister Cleverly announced £1 million of new UK aid for the Women Mediators across the Commonwealth (WMC) network, an independent group of 50 women mediators around the world, hosted by peacebuilding NGO Conciliation Resources.
According to the statement, The funding will provide women on the frontline of peace talks with training, mentoring, and resources for their participation in peacebuilding, and to lobby for greater inclusion of women at all levels of negotiations, including at the UN.
The UK also announced £250,000 of new aid funding to support research into the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women and girls living in fragile and conflict-affected states, such as Afghanistan and Nigeria, read the statement.
“The study will develop policy recommendations to ensure women and girls are better protected in future pandemics.”
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IEA supreme leader says vice and virtue law must be enforced
Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, has ordered that the Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice must be enforced in order to preserve Afghanistan’s Islamic system.
The Kandahar media center said Monday that the IEA leader met with military and civilian officials, the Ulema Council, businessmen, and security forces in Spin Boldak in Kandahar on Sunday, where he also delivered a speech.
He said that great sacrifices were made over 20 years to attain the Islamic system and efforts should be made to preserve it.
He added that this can only be done through obedience, piousness, and following the advice of religious scholars.
The leader of the Islamic Emirate told scholars present to fully cooperate with the relevant departments in implementing the Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice and to explain to people every day in their mosques issues related to faith, belief, and prayer.
He also advised military and civilian officials in Spin Boldak district not to have disputes, to maintain full coordination and cooperation with each other, be committed to carrying out their responsibilities, and obey their superiors.
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IEA, Chinese company signs deal for Kapisa dam feasibility study
The Ministry of Energy and Water on Sunday signed an agreement for feasibility, geophysics and geotechnical studies of the Baghdara Dam in Kapisa province with Metallurgical Corp of China (MCC), the contractor of Mes Aynak copper mine.
The agreement was signed between Abdul Latif Mansoor, Acting Minister of Energy and Water, and Song Wen Bing, director of MCC.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mansoor highlighted the importance of the Baghdara Dam project in providing the electricity needed for the Mes Aynak project in Logar province and emphasized that the implementation of the Baghdara Dam project will be a milestone in joint cooperation between Afghanistan and China.
He also emphasized the expansion and development of cooperation between China and Afghanistan and assured the Chinese ambassador and MCC officials that the environment is favorable for investment in Afghanistan and the Islamic Emirate is committed to cooperate in this regard.
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Most families borrow money to buy food in Afghanistan: WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that three out of four Afghan families borrow money to buy food.
On average, a family’s debts are AFN 38,200 (nearly $560), according to the organization.
WFP has warned that as winter worsens in Afghanistan, millions face extreme hardship, with one in four families struggling to get enough food.
The organization said that for many families, WFP is their last hope but due to the funding crisis, most will not receive any food in the coming months.
“For the coming six months, WFP in Afghanistan urgently requires nearly US$680 million across all its activities, including to help the most vulnerable, food insecure families across the country survive the harsh Afghan winter,” it said.
WFP said that it has helped 10.5 million people across Afghanistan with food and cash to nourish children, boost the local economy and empower communities.
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