KABUL - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomes the release today of a report prepared by Afghan civilian society groups and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission that outlines a road map for peace in Afghanistan.

The 40-page report, Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace: Building the Foundations for an Inclusive Peace Process, documents the views of 4,648 Afghan men, women and youth, from the country's 34 provinces, on prospects for peace. It covers key areas such as Afghans’ grievances and aspirations, the main drivers of conflict in Afghanistan, and puts forward proposed solutions to achieve durable peace.

“Aimed at  promoting an inclusive peace process by giving voice to the views of ordinary Afghans on critical issues that impact their lives most, the Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace reflects the views of often marginalised Afghans, including those  in rural and remote areas, as well as women and youth,” said Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan.

The report found that tackling widespread corruption and impunity among the police and judiciary, disarming and disempowering local militias, resolving ethnic tensions, tribal disputes and factional conflicts which fuel broader armed conflict, respecting human rights and women’s rights and providing equitable development assistance and service delivery across Afghanistan as well as improving the education system and empowering youth are essential to achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan.

“UNAMA fully supports the findings of the Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace which is an important, inclusive rights-based peacebuilding initiative. Policymakers should ensure that Afghan men, women and youth are meaningfully included in the peace process and have a real say in the future direction of their county. We call on the future leader of Afghanistan to listen to the people’s views and the solutions they propose and incorporate them into all efforts aimed at stabilising and developing the country,” said UNAMA’s Human Rights director, Georgette Gagnon.

Afghan civil society organisations, with facilitation from UNAMA, have enabled thousands of Afghans from across the country, through the Afghan People’s Dialogue for Peace initiative, to produce 30 provincial-level road maps for peace, and a 10-point national road map outlined in the People’s Dialogue report.

The first phase of The Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace, involved 1,526 Afghans through 78 focus group discussions held in 31 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. The findings of the Dialogue were published in a report Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace: Laying the Foundations for an Inclusive Peace Process in December 2011. Phase II of the People’s Dialogue was launched in April 2013. As in phase I, phase II was implemented with the aim of promoting an inclusive, transparent and accountable peace process by obtaining people’s views on the future direction of their country.

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A press release from the organizations leading the Afghan People’s Dialogue on Peace is available at: http://bit.ly/1pzmPGZ

The full report can be downloaded in Dari, Pashto and English from several websites: www.sanayee.org.af, www.cshrn.af, www.aihrc.org.af, www.acsf.af and www.awn-af.net