Whether it is Kabul or Kashmir, women’s participation is the key to peace
The political and strategic setting in South Asia and its periphery has taken a curious turn with its two major hotspots, namely Afghanistan and Kashmir, witnessing unremitting back-channel endeavors to achieve a peaceful resolution of their complex problems.
In fact, all the stakeholders involved seem to have arrived at a unanimous conclusion that profound changes in the international political landscape and a radical transformation in the strategic balance of power has necessitated a united approach to usher in a new dawn in South-Central Asia.
On the Afghanistan front, two parallel initiatives — undertaken by the United States and Russia — to engage the Taliban have given rise to the hope of a sustainable political settlement. Even a country like India, which refused to recognize the Taliban officially quite consistently, has expressed wholehearted support for the reconciliation process to bring tranquility back to the battered Hindu Kush region.
Moreover, the Washington-Taliban peace framework — which is guaranteeing a withdrawal of the American troops from the Afghan theater in return for a Taliban commitment to making sure Afghan territory is never used by terrorists — does point to a calibrated advancing of the endgame.
To counter the impact of the trauma caused by the internecine strife in disturbed areas, there is nothing better than to use the instinctive peace-enforcing abilities of women, whether it is in Afghanistan or Kashmir.
Seema Sengupta
Similarly, a violence-ridden Kashmir — the strategically significant territory that holds the key to stability and prosperity in South Asia — is standing at a crossroads too, especially after the United Nations released its first report detailing the multiple human rights violations taking place in the area and calling for a thorough international probe to bring closure.
In light of this UN rap, former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik’s initiative to broker a compromise assumes great significance, as there can be no military solution to the vexed territorial dispute. However, will it be that easy to resolve those deep-seated fissures, which could invariably cause a breakdown of law and order and civil unrest, in order to restore sanity in the conflict zones? After all, fratricidal strife or territorial disputes have historically generated extreme discontent and bitterness within societies, often setting different communities against each other.
To counter the impact of the trauma caused by the internecine strife in disturbed areas, there is nothing better than to use the instinctive peace-enforcing abilities of women, whether it is in Afghanistan or Kashmir.
With the Taliban holding sway over nearly half of Afghanistan’s landmass — despite the fact that they represent only 20 percent of the society at the most — the international community has zeroed in on them to play the stellar role of being a charioteer for peace.
However, is the global leadership equally eager to foster egalitarian democratic governance in a simultaneous manner, particularly when the inclusion of women in the nascent stage of the Afghan reconciliation process has not been a priority at all?
I was a bit surprised when Wazhma Frogh, a member of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council tasked with negotiating with the Taliban, informed me that efforts of women groups to sensitize the American interlocutor on ensuring gender equality in the ongoing Afghan peace process virtually drew a blank, and that women’s participation has only been limited to a few “30 minutes” consultations.
She lamented that despite playing an important role in the Afghan society today, the womenfolk are still struggling to have their perspective heard. Indeed, the world should not forget that women can bring moderation to the high-tables of complex negotiations, apart from being able to build bridges across the socio-ethnic divide. As John Hendra, the former Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, agreed with me, taking adequate measures to involve women in the reconciliation process is critical for sustainable peace in Afghanistan. Hendra also underscored the importance of such a move in the present context, which he felt would ensure that everybody reaps the fruit of real democracy in a free manner. The Taliban leadership knows very well that to gain universal acceptability as a legitimate political force and a viable partner in any future power-sharing deal, there is no alternative other than to reconcile, what with the huge strides that Afghan society has made in the past two decades. That precisely is the reason why Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid emphasized his leadership’s eagerness to see Afghanistan move forward with its present achievements and developments.
Just as any efforts for enduring peace in Afghanistan hinges on women’s participation in a negotiated deal, failing which will make is less likely to hold, a stable subcontinent (read a serene Kashmir) is an essential prerequisite for the success of the ongoing Afghan peace process, too.
– Seema Sengupta is a Calcutta-based journalist and columnist.
