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Background UNAMA’s mandate is renewed annually. Following the election of a new parliament in 2005, in consultation with the Government of Afghanistan, the Security Council outlined the core activities of the mission. UNAMA was also to provide political and strategic advice for the peace process, promote international engagement in the country, assist the Afghan government towards implementing the Afghan Compact—a five-year strategy for rebuilding the country--and contribute to human rights protection and promotion. In addition, UNAMA was to continue to manage United Nations humanitarian relief, recovery, reconstruction and development activities in coordination with the Government. A high-level meeting in September 2007, held in New York and co-chaired by Secretary-General The Secretary -General in his 6 March 2008 report noted that while the international community remains strongly engaged in Afghanistan, the political transition in the war-torn country continues to face a number of serious challenges that require an integrated approach to security, governance, rule of law, human rights and social and economic development, based on a partnership between the Government of Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the UN and the international community. UNAMA’s guiding principle should be to “reinforce Afghan leadership and strengthen international cohesion in support of that leadership.” The Secretary-General recommended that while the mission’s core activities should remain the same as those outlined in the Security Council in 2005, the mission should place emphasis on six areas -- coordination, political outreach, support for subnational and local-level governance, humanitarian coordination, elections and cooperation with ISAF. Security The Secretary -General noted that despite tactical successes by national and international military forces, the anti-Government elements in Afghanistan are far from defeated. Although the Afghan National Army, which currently has a fielded strength of over 49,000, and Afghan National Police have begun to establish a presence in areas previously controlled by insurgents, 36 out of 376 districts, including most districts in the east, south-east and south, remain largely inaccessible to Afghan officials and aid workers. In 2007 the level of insurgent and terrorist activity increased sharply, with an average of 566 Tactics of the anti-Government elements changed in 2007 as Afghan and international security forces grew stronger, adopting small scale, asymmetric tactics—including use of improvised explosive devices, suicide attacks, assassinations and abductions, to counter the superiority of Political Affairs and Governance The next elections, currently scheduled to be held in 2009 and 2010, will be the first to be administered by Afghan authorities since the 1970s. The UN is providing assistance to the In 2007, the Government established the Independent Directorate for Local Governance, which is striving to connect the Government to communities across the country, particularly in provinces where the security situation is unstable. Provinces not affected by anti-Government violence have seen improvements both in governance and in economic development. Rule of Law The quality of policing has improved in most parts of the country. Over 1,090 international police trainers, advisors and mentors are in place across Afghanistan. The police force, however, continues to face numerous challenges, in particular widespread corruption. There have been gradual improvements in the development of the legal infrastructure, and a private corps of lawyers is emerging. A law passed in November 2007 permitted the establishment of an independent bar association with over 400 registered attorneys. In response to the alarming increase in opium cultivation in 2007, counter-narcotics efforts have gained momentum. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supported the Ministry of Counter-Narcotics in reconciling diverse positions on their efforts, producing an agreement on priority actions. The Government’s Prioritized Implementation Plan for the National Drug Control The Government has taken steps to address the growing problem of corruption. A committee was established to assess corruption in the public sector, and a draft national anti-corruption strategy has been developed with the support of the United Nations. The UN Convention against Human Rights and the Situation of Women Progress on human rights was limited throughout 2007. UNAMA is assisting Afghan authorities to promote human rights by supporting the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, protecting the vulnerable such as returnees, IDPs, women household heads and unaccompanied minors; investigating and monitoring abuses and recommending corrective actions. There has been slow but steady progress made on the status of women in Afghanistan over the last years: women are playing an increasingly important role in the reconstruction of the country, as politicians and civil society leaders. Currently, women make up 27 per cent of the National Assembly in Afghanistan and 26 percent of the civil service. However, improvements for women remain a major challenge. Currently, only one cabinet member (Minister of Women’s Affairs) and one governor (Bamyan province) are women. Only 38 per cent of women in Afghanistan are economically active, and women receive 3 times less wages than men. Violence against women remains a major problem, with over 80 percent of reported cases committed by family members. Humanitarian Affairs The Security Council has called on UNAMA to play a central coordinating role in humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan where the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. The harshest winter in 30 years, combined with lack of capacity of the Afghan government, has aggravated the existing humanitarian challenges in the country. Insecurity has limited access for relief operations in several parts of the country: United Nations agencies are unable to operate in 78 districts in the south of Afghanistan. The worldwide increases in food prices are affecting vulnerable Afghan communities. A joint In 2007, 365,410 Afghans voluntarily returned to Afghanistan, bringing the overall assisted repatriation figure since 2002 to over 4 million. However, neighbouring countries have also begun deporting hundreds of thousands of Afghans without sufficient legal documentation, and refugee camps have begun to close down. UN agencies have been working to help deportees returning to Afghanistan, by meeting immediate humanitarian needs and building sustainable livelihoods. Development Poverty and lack of access to food, medical care and education remain major obstacles to equitable and sustainable development. But there has been significant progress in some areas, and 82 percent of the population can now access basic health services. An increase in female health workers has broadened women’s access to health care, as 90 percent of health facilities now have at least one woman doctor, nurse or midwife. Deliveries conducted by skilled birth attendants increased from 6 percent in 2001 to 80 percent in 2007. However, Afghanistan has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The number of children attending school has steadily increased and should reach over 6 million in 2008, 35 percent of these girls. In 2008, 330,000 girls will attend school for the first time. An estimated 34 to 42 per cent of the country’s population lives below the poverty line. However, The Afghanistan National Development Strategy sets out the strategic priorities and mechanisms for achieving the Afghan Government’s development vision. An interim version of this strategy was presented in January 2006, and the Government is currently finalizing the full Strategy.
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© United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
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