HERAT - Improving provincial government requires hiring more women, community leaders stressed at a UN-backed event in Herat this week.

The event, supported by the Herat regional office of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), brought together government and civil society leaders to discuss public administration reform, including gender policy and related government initiatives.

Speaking at the event was Abdul Salam, head of the regional administrative reform and civil service commission. Mr Salam underscored the importance of ensuring the government’s commitment to achieve a staffing rate of 30 per cent women working in civil service.

“There is great need for a more integrated plan for gender-responsive governance, recruitment and capacity development,” Mr. Salam added.

Herat’s Acting Governor, Merwais Habibzada, outlined how the province is working to employ more women in the interest of improving governance, and stressed that, in comparison to other provinces, Herat has a “high percentage” of women working in civil service posts.

Earlier this year, on 8 March, the UN marked International Women’s Day under the theme of ‘Women in the Changing World of Work,’ and made a call for women’s participation in all professions, highlighting their essential contributions in all spheres of work.

Afghanistan has made significant progress toward equal workplace participation, with the government developing measures to advance women’s participation and protect them from harm. The Afghan government has pledged to increase the presence of women in government institutions to 30 per cent by the year 2020. Currently, however, women’s participation countrywide is far below this target.

On women’s Day, the UN welcomed the government’s launch of the economic empowerment program for women as a key step forward to opening more doors for women’s participation at all levels, and encouraged the government to continue to prioritize investment in education, healthcare and business financing for Afghan women.

“Women’s economic empowerment is a crucial precondition to effectively address poverty, inequality and violence against women,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. “While much progress has been made, many women continue to face economic and social barriers to meaningful employment as well discrimination in the workplace and in other areas of life.”

For real change, said the UN envoy, this essential agenda must be a priority. “Empowering Afghan women will allow them to share their voice and exert influence on matters of national concern, including in development, politics and most importantly peace,” he said.

Herat lies on old trade routes, with roads running from Herat to the bordering countries of Iran to the west and Turkmenistan to the north. The mostly rural and agricultural province is Afghanistan’s primary trade gateway to Iran.

UNAMA is mandated to support the Afghan Government and the people of Afghanistan as a political mission that provides 'good offices' among other key services. 'Good offices' are diplomatic steps UN takes publicly and in private, drawing on its independence, impartiality and integrity, to prevent international disputes from arising, escalating or spreading.

UNAMA also promotes coherent development support by the international community; assists the process of peace and reconciliation; monitors and promotes human rights and the protection of civilians in armed conflict; promotes good governance; and encourages regional cooperation.