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In the name of God God of freedom and equality
We congratulate the world people especially the Afghans on the fifty-seventh anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It should be mentioned that the ratification of the UDHR and the achievement of human rights principles and values are the results of human historical campaign to establish justice, to ensure respect to the inherent dignity of humankind, to eliminate violence, discrimination, torture and killing and to provide the enjoyment of human rights and freedoms.
The campaign is still underway. There is a long distance to create the ideal human society in which human rights are observed. If today the most pressing need of human beings is to attain a society where they can enjoy a humane and dignified life, such an attainment is impossible without democracy, welfare, social justice and human rights.
Although there are different and various interpretations on human rights principles and values, the ultimate goal of human rights is to create a humane, prosperous and free society where humankind lives free from fear, humiliation and discrimination.
Today Afghanistan has focused on reconstruction, development and democracy. It does not seem possible to ensure sustainable development and lasting democracy if human rights principles and values are not promoted and protected. Human and his material and moral needs, therefore, should form the foundation of any development process.
Whereas human rights is a major human achievement, human rights principles and values and respect to human dignity have a high standing in our countrys history and culture and Afghan people have played their part in the historical campaign for freedom and justice.
Today we honour the 57th anniversary of the UDHR and the International Day of Human Rights. But this does not mean that we have achieved the ideal human rights situation in Afghanistan and in the world.
The ideal human rights situation requires the conviction, efforts, co-ordination and co-operation of human rights activities and States on national, regional and international levels.
The plight of womens human rights, extreme poverty, lack of access to primary health care facilities, inadequate access to drinking water and housing, violation of the right to freedom of expression, existing torture, lack of rule of law, failure to fundamentally reform the administration and continued culture of impunity are the indicative of the fact that a huge work is needed for the promotion and protection of human rights.
The undertaking by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community of certain commitments to mainstream human rights in Afghanistan National Development Strategy is an imperative issue.
I avail myself of the opportunity to bring to the attention of the London Conference, to be held next January, to the importance and pivotal role of human rights in Afghanistan. If human rights standards and respect to human dignity are not included in the Afghanistan Compact, it will be an incomplete plan.
Dear audience,
As you are aware, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has almost finished its fourth year of operation and the Commission has tried its utmost to faithfully carry out its mandate in promoting and protecting human rights across the country.
AIHRC is of the belief that human rights cannot be guaranteed by one single institution. To this end, the co-operation of people, political and civil institutions, the Government of Afghanistan and the international community is a vital requirement.
The Parliamentary Elections and the Afghanistan-European Union Agreement of Co-operation, which has stressed the need to improve human rights in the country, and the Action Plan on Peace, Justice and Reconciliation are the significant examples to be named for the democratisation of Afghanistan.
The AIHRC fully believe in the principles of transparency, accountability, participation of people in decision making process and peoples access to data and information. It is with regard to these principles that the Commission from the very commencement of its activities has, besides providing consistent information of its practices to people, regularly provided and published its annual reports of works and activities including its budget.
Today also, availing ourselves of this opportunity once again I would like to present you a brief report of works and activities carried out by the Commission, no doubt the detailed report of our all over activities will soon be published and you will receive it.
To protect promote and monitor Human Rights, during last year the Commission managed its activities through five main units.
Human Rights Education and promotion Unit
The Commission regards it as a long term project to develop a culture of tolerance and respect to inherent dignity of humankind by Human Rights promotion. The Commission is carrying out activities to promote Human Rights through education, training, research and policies. Most of the activities are carried out in cooperation with state organs and entities.
The AIHRC has worked to improve the educational Curriculum in the national and state level. Remove the issues of violence and prejudice from the school text books and Integrate Human Rights issues instead. Human Rights education and training was provided for teachers and trainers, so that they will teach Human Rights issues to their students.
Last year the HREU of AIHRC closely worked with the Ministry of Education to complete the elementary schools Curriculum; and works on teacher training Curriculum on high level is going on.
Awareness-raising Campaigns During the last year, the AIHRC addressed a number of key Human Rights with awareness-raising campaigns to promote protection and respect for Human Rights. These issues include highlighting the illegality and unreligious nature of certain traditional practices, the problem of womens suicide by self immolation, and child sexual abuse. The Women Rights Unit and Human Rights Education Unit also jointly worked with the Ministry of Haj-Awqaf over the past year to encourage regular awareness-raising messages in mosques about the importance of ending violence against women. The Media and Press Unit has published and distributed 40 different publication on human rights, with a total of 500,000 copies distributed.26 radio programs were broadcasted, also 26 television programs were broadcasted. Three short films on the rights of the child, and on womens rights and the tradition of Bad were also produced.
675 human rights training workshops, seminars and awareness raising meetings benefited a total of 24765 people including national police officers, Ulama and clergies, spiritual figures, national security staff, prison guards, journalists, judges, prosecutors, members of civil society organizations, university students, school students, teachers and those who joined in DDR process received human rights training.
Monitoring and Investigation Unit:
The Monitoring and Investigation Unit in all offices have carried out regular and systematic monitoring of state prisons, detention centers, and correctional centers throughout the year. Likewise this Unit also ensures monitoring of the existence of illegal prisons, monitoring ANP behavior during demonstrations, and monitoring judiciary during court hearings.
The commission has received around 268 human rights complaints which reflect 4236 cases of various human rights violations. 42 other cases have been specified during monitoring missions. More than 85 % of these cases have been addressed and resulted in positive consequences that prevented human rights violations.
About coalition forces:
Despite evidence of HR abuse at Coalition Force detention centers, and despite the AIHRC having received 113 complaints of human rights violations at the hands of Coalition Forces over the past year, the AIHRC continues to be denied access to Coalition Force detention centers. The Commission continued to press for access to the detention centers to enable monitoring, and requested the appointment of a U.S. military liaison officer to address complaints of HR abuses. A liaison officer was appointed in early May 2005, and it was agreed that the AIHRC and coalition forces will share information regarding the abuses and complaints, and that the CF liaison will provide authorized information that is not classified, and will assist in forwarding AIHRC queries and requests for access to the relevant authorities in Kabul or Washington.
Child Rights Unit (CRU)
The child rights unit has monitored, twice a month the general status of children in juvenile correction centers in Kabul, Heerat, Parwan, Kapisa, Gardaiz, Mazar-e-sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad. Approximately 45 different cases of violence against children were resolved over the reporting period by the CRU.
Womens Rights Unit (WRU) attitude
Women Rights Unit has carried out its monitoring missions of the womens prisons all over the country including Kabul, Jalal Abad, Mazar Sharif and Heart. During the past years visits form the womens prisons were made on monthly basis. Like Child Rights Unit, the Women Rights Unit also focused on identifying and observing the needs of women in the prisons as well as the causes of the crimes committed, their treatment including their access to their children in the prisons.
The results and findings of this monitoring mission are used to help other Units of the Commission to feed them in research, advocacy, and recommendations activities as well as in advising gender sensitive approaches. In this process some recommendations are submitted to the government authorities to improve the situation of women in the prisons and detention centers.
This Unit has carried out awareness raising activities on women Human Rights status through conducting seminars, workshops and marking and celebrating of the universal days as the 8 of March and the 25 of November. Moreover, research is made on women prisoners and factors of crimes committed by women are also investigated.
Election Monitoring Unit
In Hot 1382 in Berlin, the Afghan government and international community requested the AIHRC to verify the full exercise of political rights in Afghanistan with a view to ascertaining the situation of political rights in the country for the Presidential and Parliamentary Election. The responsibility of the Commission in this Election was two fold. One, verification of the existing political and security condition that are conducive to a fair and free election and the other was joint monitoring of the Election process with other civil society organizations.
During the Election the Commission monitored the process of the parliamentary election with more than its 300 staff.
Transitional Justice Unit:
Transitional Justice Unit in this area is responsible for a delicate and complex works which strategically has approached through a combination of activities:
In Aqrab 1383 the transitional justice Unit completed an extensive national consultation. Consultation carried out as two-pronged research project. This was the largest historical consultation carried out in Afghanistan. The finding and recommendations were published in a report titled A Call for Justice which was submitted to President Karzai on 9, Dalw 1384 and now awaits his action.
Parallel to Transitional Justice Units work, the AIHRC has also been a key actor in the Special Taskforce for transitional justice which was established following the submission of A Call for Justice, at President Karzais request. The Taskforce consists of an Advisor from the Presidential Office, a representative form UNAMA, and one Commissioner from the AIHRC. Its purpose has been to develop a National Action Plan for Justice and Peace. The final draft was presented to an international conference hosted by the Dutch Government, on Peace and Justice in Afghanistan at The Hague on 6-7th June2005. The primary aim of the conference was to rally political support for the Action Plan domestically and internationally, and is a substantial next step toward the implementation of a National Action Plan as initiated by the AIHRC.
Monitoring of Human Rights status in the country which includes political rights, civil and economic rights, social and cultural rights was also carried throughout Afghanistan by the Commission in which special attention was paid to repatriates and IDPs, the report of which will very soon be completed and published to Afghan people. This report will play a key role in the implementation of Afghanistan National Development Strategy Plans. Hope one day Human Rights may turn into a reality for the people of our country and the culture of Human Rights become institutionalized in our Society.
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