Speech by President Ghani on the occasion of International Women’s Day

Speech by H.E Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the occasion of

International Women’s Day

March 5, 2015

In the Name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most merciful 

National Leader Hamid Karzai, 

Ms. Bibi Gul [the First Lady], 

Honorable Cabinet Members,

Respectable Civil Activists,

Ladies, seen here both in military and nonmilitary uniforms, and gentlemen!

Honorable Representatives of the Civil Society and Media,

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 

 We are still sad and here I once again would like to offer my deepest condolences to all Afghans.  Up to now, 23 provinces of Afghanistan have been affected by natural disasters, these provinces include Panjshir, Badakhshan, Parwan, Nooristan, Laghman, Nangarhar, Kabul, Takhar, Herat, Kapisa, Daikundi, Samangan, Kunar, Baghlan, Paktia, Helmand, Uruzgan, Zabul, Bamyan, Badghis, Farah, Ghor and Balkh provinces.

The Panjshir disaster is a tragedy at the international level.  Similarly, we have lost many of our loved ones in Badakhshan and Nooristan. Nearly 1300 acres of land have been destroyed in Laghman province.  First, we all share the pain of those who have been affected. Thanks God, today and the day before last, we had no report of casualty. We hope that it be the end of deaths and injuries for our people. I would like to add here that our people are unique in showing and sharing grief and sympathies. Particularly, I want to thank our national army and police forces.  Moreover, our Afghan Red Crescent Society’s volunteers reached out the affected people in remote areas and helped with the people. Employees of the National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) and the Ministry of Rural Development (MRRD) have worked for 16 or 17 hours a day. Till yesterday, most of the passes and roads were cleared and thanks to the strong foundation that H.E Hamid Karzai has laid, we did not have to ask for international relief, this is something promising. Under the current circumstances, we did all in our own power to avoid chaos and ensure coordination in a systematic manner. Of course, in the post-disaster phase, we will ask for international aid. It is good that we have had internal coordination. Sorrow and happiness are the two sides of a coin, they come and go. Today we are here to celebrate the role of Afghan women.  March 8 [International Women’s Day] is something new but in our culture, value of women has a centuries-old historical background. The first thing we would like to stress on is from the day God the Almighty created this world, he made Eve and Adam life partners and thus ensured the survival of mankind through marriage. The relationship between a man and a woman is the oldest and the most valuable relationship in a society.  Islam has recognized it far too long before the world did. Don’t forget that God ordered Prophet Zakariya (Zachariah) to be the patron of Maryam (Mary) and made angels her companions.   God promoted Islam by the first female convert –Bibi Khadijah [wife of Prophet Mohammad PBUH) and made Sumayah to be the first female martyr [for having adopted the faith of Islam]. God destined rights, obligations, worships, deals and all other affairs for women in the best manner and as the nature of human beings require. Holy Quran does not agree with even the slightest disregard to women’s true status and we can find no ideology and logic at a specific location and time in history that would not have a particular vision about women. It is because of the special role that a woman plays in reproducing mankind and because of valuable inner assets that society needs her for its growth.  Love and affection of a mother forms the basis of a society.  On this day, at this moment, I wanted to pray for the soul of my grandmother and for the soul of my mother.  My grandmother was educated and I believe that an educated girl or woman can change five generations.  When my grandmother came from India to Afghanistan, she brought about a revolution in our village, she promoted the use of sewing machine, brought with her management in affairs, calculations in agriculture, therefore investment on women has a sustainable impact. I would like to thank my wife Bibi Gul who has brought up my son Tariq in a way that he always accepts equality and seniority of his elder sister Maryam.   Every individual, every boy and every girl, should learn gender equality of children from their family environment, because without that sort of learning, they will have a negative mindset in future. Ms. Safawi [Acting Minister of Women Affairs] asked me to make commitments for women here, the first word I say here is that we have fulfilled as much as we could of our commitments and second, that we will stand on our commitments.  Our first commitment is that we will protect and further consolidate the gains we have made under the wise leadership of H.E Hamid Karzai. This is our first commitment to you.   Our main commitment to you is that we will bring a fundamental sustainable change in women’s role in our society. This sustainable change requires a balance between transformation and continuity. The transformation will be based on the highest Islamic and national values. Our society does not stand against international values. If our women always stress on international values for women, they will face opposition in our society. Islam does not forbid halal (lawful) way of earning, as my wife, Ms. Bibi Gul quoted a hadith of Prophet Mohammad and some verses from the holy Quran. We need to fundamentally solidify women’s role from within our culture and civilization. Our Constitution is clear and specific on women and thank God, it is absolutely Islamic. So, our commitment is to implement the Constitution. By its implementation, God willing, the values and demands of our women will be realized. Here, I want to shortly brief you on the measures we have taken.

First – Providing education opportunities to girls and women. It is with pleasure to announce that the first-ever university for women would be constructed with the support of Turkey soon in the country. We have allocated the land, and I have spoken with Turkish President in this regard. Before, the women were pursuing higher education together with men in universities, but soon we will have a dedicated university for women in Kabul.

Second – Women’s management and leadership role. We have attracted the support of United Arab Emirates in funding special management and leadership trainings for Afghan women. Completing such trainings, the Afghan women will get equipped with the knowledge of management and leadership.

Similarly, we are in negotiation with other Islamic countries, particularly Arab World, to provide management facilities for Afghan women.

Malaysia is a good example for us.  Malaysian Muslim woman covering with Islamic Hijab, can be a nuclear physics specialist, an engineer, etc. We should make it clear and express it with full confidence that our faith never contradicts against women participation in the society. And we should firmly stand against the negative assumption some spread about Islam.

Third – Special attention to women’s economy. I ordered a thorough assessment of all international funded projects in Afghanistan, and received the assessment documentation five days back. The entire projects will be reevaluated in the coming weeks, our priorities will be categorized, and we will extend special attention to the projects that concern women.

I thank the Ministry of Women’s Affairs for its efforts in safeguarding and protecting women rights. But, safeguarding the women rights is not the exclusive responsibility of Ministry of Women Affairs, rather it is a responsibility of each individual government institution. The government of Afghanistan as a whole is in charge of securing the rights of women, children, people with disability and the poor. And this is our commitment that violence against women and girls has no place in the government departments, schools and universities throughout the country. 

Four – Women’s health. First I would like to thank our expert doctors, particularly Dr. Rahim Karim in Germany for his commitment to come with other medical doctors to Afghanistan to perform major operations inside the country.

I have instructed the Ministry of Public Health to construct a special hospital in the country for the treatment of poor women who are going to other countries for treatment. With establishing such a hospital in the country, our doctors would be able to give major treatments and perform major operations inside Afghanistan.

Five – Women’s legal properties. Afghanistan Land Authority has come up with a proper plan, and will take comprehensive measures in legalizing properties’ documentations. The Afghan women would inherit their properties legally and Afghanistan Land Authority would provide legal documents to women to ensure women legal ownership.

We have a clear message for women’s political participation. Whether you want embassies, deputy ministries, governor positions, enshallah it will happen on the basis of criteria.

I don’t want old stories repeated, I have instructed Ministry of Foreign Affairs to dismiss each individual who was hired on the basis of personal or family relationships, not on the basis of merits. The Afghan women should be assured that if she is hired it is not because she is someone’s sisters or wife and anything else. Specially, the poor women should be confident that the government institutions are open to them.

I hope all Afghan women get united and break the leadership monopoly and the limitations. Thanks Allah, there are many job opportunities in Afghanistan.

In conclusion, let me once again thank Ministry of Women Affairs, and local and international partners for organizing this ceremony. I would like to express special thanks to those Afghan women who in the far remote areas of the country struggle to make a living and bear the heavy physical work.

The Afghan women suffered 36 year of war but did not lose hope. This is the hope that has kept Afghanistan alive.

The Afghan women participation in elections is a unique move in history.

I hope we can establish lasting peace, stability and prosperity so the dreams of Afghan women can turn to reality.

May Allah  bless us all!

Long live Afghanistan!