The Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, co-hosted by the European Union and the Government of Afghanistan, was launched on Tuesday (4 October) with an event focusing on regional economic cooperation and women empowerment in Afghanistan. The overall aim of the conference is to bring the attention of international community back to the country and thus boost support for the Afghan reform process. The event also aims to ensure continued international political and financial support to bolster Afghanistan’s economic stability, development and state-building processes over the next four years.
The conference, which took place in Europe’s ‘Capital City’ on 4-5 October, was attended by leaders from more than 70 countries worldwide, 20 international organizations and agencies, and a vast range of stakeholders. The opening event on the empowerment of Afghan women was attended also by the country’s First Lady, Rula Ghani. The discussions revolved around the ways and means of empowering Afghan women to build a stable and prosperous country, as well as reinforcing the political and human rights of Afghan women and how to realize and materialize those rights in everyday life.
“The empowerment of women is not only a matter of human rights and social justice; it is also about development; it is about human growth; it’s about security; it is about fulfilling the potential of Afghanistan”, said the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini. “A commitment towards women is a commitment towards stronger, richer and more just societies and as the European Union we are supporting this process both politically and as the biggest financial contributor to the country’s new National Action Plan for Women,” she added.
