KANDAHAR - High school girls in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province participated in a United Nations-backed essay writing competition on the topic of peace, on Saturday.

In their essays, the girls highlighted peace as a prerequisite for the Afghan society, especially to protect women’s rights, put an end to all forms of violence against women.

“The strings of peace are in the hands of the women and from the beginning, they can influence their sons, brothers and husbands to bring peace. Moreover, women have the right to freedom,” said the head of an association for children’s rights in the province, Dr. Rangina Wesa, at the essay-writing event.

Organized jointly by the Kandahar Governor’s Office and the UN Development Programme’s Afghanistan Sub-national Governance Programme (UNDP/ASGP), the event was attended by the Kandahar Governor and Deputy Governor, the provincial head of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, the head of the Provincial Peace Committee, the head of the Women’s Affairs Department.

Five best essays received awards.