Minister of Foreign Affairs Eva-Maria Liimets was one of the keynote speakers at the UN Commission on the Status of Women event on the topic of the rights of Afghan women that took place on 19 March.
‘For almost two decades, Estonia and Afghanistan have maintained a close security and political cooperation that has brought forth positive change in various fields – including promoting the rights of women and girls,’ said Minister Liimets in her speech. ‘We have seen Afghanistan take steps forward both in terms of enabling women to have access to education and their growing political and economic influence. Strong female leaders and an active civil society are a sign of the ever-growing role of ensuring human rights in Afghanistan’s new society.’
The peace process in Afghanistan is also one of Estonia’s priorities in the UN Security Council. Estonia considers it vital that women are involved in all stages of the peace process and advocates respecting the rights of women both during the peace negotiations and in the future on the basis of the constitution. ‘This is one of the main conditions for providing continued international aid to Afghanistan. We condemn the attacks that undermine the peace efforts, including those directed against women, human rights defenders, the media, and the civil society,’ added Liimets.
Since 2006, Afghanistan has been one of the priority states for Estonian development cooperation. MTÜ Mondo, a non-profit association, has operated in northern and eastern Afghanistan for years. The aim of the association’s projects is to improve women’s reproductive health, access to maternity care, and girls’ access to education. Mondo’s operations in Afghanistan are supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and private donors.
The event was held virtually as part of the session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. Organisers include the United Kingdom, the United States, Afghanistan, and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.
Website of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women: https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw65-2021.
The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and women’s rights. The commission meets once a year, in spring. It is the largest and most high-level meeting on women’s rights of the year, generally attracting a large participation of the representatives of the civil society. Estonia is also currently a member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.