Guest AuthorLast month I watched along with people around the world as Afghanistan held democratic elections. While we may not know the results for months, many observers estimate that about 7 million people voted.
An estimated one third of them were women. With a record number of women running for provincial council seats and the first-ever woman on a leading national ticket, women felt more invested than ever in this election.
Here in the United States, our foremothers have walked these steps toward full political participation. As a mother and as a state legislator, I deeply appreciate the heroic efforts of those who have come before me, winning women’s suffrage and a voice in the political discourse. I also believe that global connectivity is very much tied to women’s voices in leadership.
Afghanistan is welcoming a new dawn of women’s political participation. The male-dominated culture in Afghanistan has always suppressed women. This recent election marks one of the first opportunities any have ever had to participate in the running of their country.
The women of Afghanistan have reason to be hopeful. Women’s participation has allowed lasting peace to be built in generations-long conflicts from Northern Ireland to Liberia.
How do we make sure that this glowing hope for change in Afghanistan is not extinguished in our time? The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Act of 2014 is the key. This act expands on the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (U.S. NAP) introduced in 2011 by President Obama’s Executive Order. The U.S. NAP recognizes the critical role of women in preventing and resolving violent conflict and building lasting peace. It aims to protect women and girls from rape and gender-based violence and guarantees equal access to humanitarian aid in crisis situations. The U.S. NAP calls for women’s meaningful participation and decision-making in matters of peace and security.
As a mother and a legislator, I engage on local issues to advance the concerns of my constituents. As a mother and a legislator, I understand that true security will not be achieved by force alone.
We must support the WPS Act because empowering women is associated with lower poverty, higher economic growth, better nutrition and education of children, and other outcomes vital to the security or our communities. From here at home to the world at large, women’s voices and participation are crucial for building the world we want to live in.
No matter the outcome of the Afghan elections, one message has been made clear — women will continue to work to ensure that Afghanistan does not forget them. Women are being recognized as a powerful voting bloc, and it is increasingly apparent that candidates must address women’s rights.
The new president of Afghanistan must take note of the influence women held in this election and respond accordingly. We must support the WPS Act so that this transformation of political participation is possible the world over.
Senator Audrey Gibson (D-Jacksonville) is a State Director with Women Legislators’ Lobby and Women’s Action for New Directions. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
