Dr. Phoebe Donnelly, Research Fellow and Head of IPI’s Women, Peace and Security Program, moderated a roundtable on March 1st entitled “Priorities for the next UNAMA Mandate: Protecting and Promoting Women’s Human Rights and Political Participation.” This roundtable, hosted by The Dutch Permanent mission, served to reassess the priorities of UNAMA in four key areas. In collaboration with Afghan women activists and experts, participants discussed the upcoming mandate renewal of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) by the UN Security Council. The renewal provides an important opportunity to assess how the mission could be recalibrated, with a particular focus on securing women’s rights and implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

This event offered a unique space for UN Security Council members to tap into the expertise of Afghan women and learn about their experience with UNAMA as well as their recommendations on the future mandate. Additionally, it opened up conversation around how to strengthen Afghan women’s political representation, rights, and access to justice, and how this should be reflected in the next UNAMA mandate. Especially given the current situation in Afghanistan, this was a timely and critical discussion that highlighted the challenges for and roles of Afghan women in the country’s future.