Sign-On: Action Points to Guarantee the Rights, Safety and Health of Women and Girls in Afghanistan

A. Design clear gender-responsive plans to deliver humanitarian aid to women, girls, men and boys in religious, ethnic, and other minority communities across all of Afghanistan, in consultation with women leaders of Afghan civil society organizations.

B. Ensure aid programmes address the health, sanitation, reproductive, and nutritional needs of women and girls.

C. Include senior women officials and personnel with understanding of Afghanistan’s local languages and cultural context in international humanitarian delegations. Ensure UN missions have UN women representation.

D. Guarantee inclusion of Afghan women with experience in aid delivery in negotiations with Taliban representatives and local consultations.

E. Support access to cash transfer programs to Afghan families, targeting women and female headed households.

a. Allow safe passage for aid to be delivered to all Afghans, including women and girls, particularly those in religious and ethnic minority communities.

A. Systematically monitor, publicize, and inform organizational leadership of emerging reports of violence, such as reports of forced marriage.

B. Ensure gender-based violence prevention and response services are prioritized and funded.

C. Fund and maintain shelters and safehouses for Afghan women and girls at elevated risk of violence.

a. Issue, publicly announce, and enforce a new decree that expressly prohibits violence, harassment, threats, exploitation against the Afghan population, especially against women, girls, and minorities.

b. Arrest and charge those who violate or disrespect women verbally, physically, or sexually.

c. Enforce measures against forced marriage, which violates Islamic Sharia and is a crime against humanity. Respect divorces and the request for divorce.

A. Systematically monitor, publicize and inform organizational leadership of changes to Afghan women and girls’ rights, opportunities to work, attend school, access healthcare, access bank accounts, own property, move and travel freely, and fill leadership roles.

a. Immediately lift restrictions on women and girls’ freedom of movement, such as requirements to have a Mahram to go to work, access public life and services.

b. Give all Afghans safe and unfettered access to their bank accounts, savings, and services like Western Union to enable direct cash transfers.

c. Guarantee the security, protection, and ability to receive and retain salaries for women working in legal, judicial, security, and civil society sectors.

d. Reverse the reduction of women’s salaries, e.g. of teachers’ salaries in Herat.

e. Guarantee women and girls’ access to education from early childhood through university.

A. Hire diverse Afghan civil society organizations, including women-led organizations, to provide for the health, education, livelihoods, and security of their communities.

B. Ensure civil society organizations have access to secure communication and protection mechanisms.

C. Fund Afghan civil society organizations, including women-led organizations, by providing long- term flexible funding not tied to specific activities.

a. Issue, publicly announce, and enforce a new decree that guarantees the protection of the life and property, and the freedom of movement of the staff and leaders of Afghan civil society organizations, including women-led civil organizations.