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AFGHANISTAN: President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has appointed Adela Raz as the new Deputy Foreign Minister for economic affairs, the Administrative Office of the President said.
Adela Raz was serving as deputy spokesman to the former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and her appoint as deputy foreign minister for economic affairs has been widely welcomed.
According to the Administrative Office of the President, Raz was appointed based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and President Ghani’s decree.
This comes as Ghani vowed to pay more attention for bringing positive changes in the lives of the Afghan women as he was preparing for the Presidential Elections earlier in March 2014.
During a gathering organized on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Ghani said the women will be given more opportunities in economic, education and health sectors.
Meanwhile, he reaffirmed commitment to provide more opportunities to the women in the government of national unity during a gathering earlier in March last year.
Ghani further added that the women should be confident that the assignments in his government will be based on qualification not relationship.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) noted the progress mainly in constitutional guarantees on non-discrimination, the enactment of the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law criminalizing harmful traditional practices, and, most recently, the adoption of the National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) committing to promote women in leadership and their meaningful participation in conflict-prevention, peace negotiations and post-conflict processes.
The UN mission in Afghanistan issued a statement earlier this month on the eve of International Women’s Day, under the global theme of Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality.
UNAMA said it also recognizes the increased representation of Afghan women in the workplace – including within Afghan Ministries, Parliament and civil society – and Afghan women’s significant contribution to the economic and social development of the country. -KP
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