KANDAHAR - The role of Afghan women is crucial for peacebuilding and economic development, according to panelists at a Global Open Day debate in Kandahar, the last in a series designed to highlight the critical role of women in developing peace and strengthening security in Afghanistan.

Participants representing civil society, women’s rights, academia, media and the provincial peace committee joined with around 100 female students from the Kandahar institute of Modern Studies at the UNAMA-supported event held in Kandahar, the capital of southern Kandahar province.

A collection of paintings by a local woman artist, most of which conveyed messages of peace and development, reinforced the Open Day theme.

Between September and November, a series of eight Global Open Day events have brought together hundreds of community members in locations around the country, including Gardez, Mazar-e-Sharif, Bamyan, Nangarhar and Herat.

Global Open Days are designed to raise awareness about the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict and to stress the importance of women’s participation in maintaining and promoting peace. Open Days were launched in 2010 on the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on Women.

At the Kandahar event, participants highlighted the importance of raising awareness among women living in rural areas, the majority of whom don’t have access to education. The media was identified as having an important role in reaching women in isolated rural areas. Education was another key focus.

“To contribute to peacebuilding, girls should acquire education, because an educated women will be able to influence her male family members and relatives not to engage in conflicts and war,” said Zarghoona Baloch, a member of Kandahar’s provincial peace committee.

Audience member, Rahela Amini, noted the challenges she faced in pursuing formal education, which for her did not start until the age of 18.

Ms. Amini said that it was important to raise awareness among families about the importance of education, so that more girls could benefit from educational activities and contribute to peacebuilding and sustainable development in Afghanistan.

The head of UNAMA’s Kandahar regional office, Simon Hermes, outlined the importance of Global Open Days in their promotion of the role of women in peace and development in Afghanistan.

UNAMA is mandated to support Afghan institutions and civil society groups to enhance the contributions of women in Afghanistan’s political and security transitions, including in the peacebuilding agenda.