Human rights in the Afghan peace process

Human rights in the peace process: red line or bargaining chip?

While many Afghans see human rights as an essential component of peace, there are concerns, especially among civil society activists, that those rights could be among the compromises made in the anticipated negotiations between the Kabul government and the Taliban. In a statement on 29 May, the Council of the European Union emphasized the need for a peace settlement to be built on the human rights achievements of the past two decades, particularly regarding “women, children, all persons belonging to minorities and groups at risk.” The United Nations former Special Representative in Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto reiterated the UN’s commitment to cooperation in the field of human rights, stating: “It is vital for us to protect the victims’ rights, and, most importantly, to include them in the peace process.”

As it is the public face of human rights advocacy in Afghanistan, people look to the AIHRC for guidance on how to ensure that in a post-settlement future, the rights and freedoms of all Afghans are further expanded, not compromised. To achieve lasting peace, Chairwoman Akbar recently demanded that “compliance with human rights standards should be considered a serious concern of the Afghan people and our international partners at all levels of the dialogue.” She also underlined that “the peace talks should lead to the increased access of the Afghan people to their human rights, not to the denial of their human rights.”

Although the AIHRC is independent and does not see itself as a party in the talks, it has repeatedly engaged the Islamic Republic’s negotiation team formed last March. It submitted a proposal to all parties to engage victims, experts, and the broader public in the intra-Afghan peace negotiations. Trying to raise awareness for human rights in a process heavily focused on national security and power-sharing, the commission has, for instance, sent individual letters to all members of the negotiating team. These notes explain what the AIHRC stands for, what expertise it can offer, what needs to be considered from a human rights perspective, and, last but not least, make clear that negotiators should see themselves as accountable to the AIHRC and the Afghan people. To also enhance public trust in a peace process that will undoubtedly experience moments of failure, the commission itself will closely monitor every stage of negotiations and inform the public openly and independently on progress and setbacks.