Freedoms should not be sacrificed for peace, say Afghan women

A group of women activists and residents of Jawzjan at a ceremony in the province announced their support to the ongoing talks in Qatar but said that the achievements of Afghanistan in women’s rights, freedom of press and other gains should not be ignored the process.

They called o government to share the developments of peace talks with the people. The women said they want peace but their freedoms should not be sacrificed for it. “We support the peace talks which are ongoing abroad on condition that Taliban will not ignore the [Afghan] Constitution and women’s freedoms,” said Sayera Shakib Sadat, a women’s rights activist in Jawzjan. “Peace is a need in today’s society and every citizen of this country is thinking about this.”

Jawzjan activists said peace is a basic need for Afghanistan and that government and Taliban should not ignore the values of the Constitution. “At least 40,000 soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice in the war in past five years. We can find few families who have not been affected by the war,” said Farahnaz, a civil society activist.