Urgent Statement for Afghanistan

UNOY Peacebuilders and the SAARC Youth Platform call for initiation of inclusive peace talks to de-escalate violence in Afghanistan

Members of UNOY Peacebuilders are deeply concerned with the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan. Since May 2021, the rising escalations and the siege of cities and villages are affecting the lives of civilian populations, as well as the military forces on both sides of the Afghanistan army and the Taliban forces. With the current developments, regional peace and security are under significant threat. Further, the continued escalation undermines the years of efforts of the peacebuilding processes—both by global leaders and young people.

The current conflict in Afghanistan emerged out of ethnic internal strife, following the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1990. With the control of Kabul and major regions in Afghanistan in 1996, Taliban rule of law and power expanded enormously. After the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and challenges in extraditing Osama Bin Laden, an imminent and long-pending insurgency broke out between Taliban Forces and NATO members supporting the Afghanistan government. Here, the Intra-Afghan peace talks in 2020, inclusive of ceasefire negotiations, emerged out of aspirations for independence and establishing a framework for Afghanistan.

We express deep concerns over the ongoing incidents that put the safety and security of individuals living in the region at high risk. Over the last four months, 715 civilians and 1,158 State military personnel have lost their lives. There is no documented account of the loss of lives of the Taliban forces. It has internally displaced millions in a land where the majority are committed to ideals of peace and establishing human dignity. We urge all sides to rethink peace, inherent as a living and breathing form of human rights and indispensable to communities. We urge the members of the international community to condemn the violence and extend their support to prioritise human lives.

On behalf of the youth-led peacebuilding organisations and the young peacebuilders, we are committed to the visible manifestations of peaceful coexistence and mutual dialogue. Engaging in pursuit of peace, we urge all parties involved to end the military actions and violence to ensure the safety and security of people, and create a model vision for world peace, beneficial to all parties. With the belief that dialogue is rooted in respecting human dignity, we urge all actors to pave the way forward for a peaceful Afghanistan.

We hope that the members of the international community will join in our efforts to:

1. Build pathways to resolve conflict by nonviolent means by creating a conducive and enabling environment for meaningful, inclusive, constructive, and peaceful dialogue.
2. Strengthen cooperation and mutual exchange with civil society organisations to provide those harmed—particularly young people, women, and children—with the humanitarian, psycho-emotional and social support, and be an ally in amplifying their voices.
3. Engage in mutual nonaggression by developing risk reduction mechanisms in the promotion of conferring legitimacy to peaceful actions.
4. Urge all parties of the conflict to take necessary measures to protect civilians including youth by ensuring the protection of human rights and compliance with international law.

Our regional and global community of young peacebuilders stands in solidarity with those affected by senseless violence and demands accountability for such actions. Will you join us? Email charlotte.davidi@unoy.org with your name and/or organisation to co-sign this statement, in solidarity with young Afghans, civil society, and peacebuilders everywhere.

Written by the UNOY Asia Youth Advocacy Team

Co-signed by:

Ágora México
Ana Izar, UNOCT
Arab Educational Institute, Palestine
ASEAN Peace Project
Beyond Skin, Northern Ireland
Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Nigeria
Camilla Pavan, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
CCD Bangladesh
Celina Del Felice, Former UNOY Leading Coordinator
Corporación Motum, Chile
Creciendo Juntas Chile
Denis Miki Foundation, Cameroon
Dr. Collins Santhanasamy, The M Exchange
Dr. Jordy Vanpoucke, co-President of Volt Belgium
Dr. Rima Salah, Chair of Early Childhood Peace Consortium (ECPC)
Dr. Vaishali Gautam, India
Faisal Aminollah, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Fundación BogotArt, Colombia
GCED Syndicate
Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)
ILearn, Jordan
Impact Voices, Sri Lanka
International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
International Youth Media Summit
Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal
Janith Perera, Sri Lanka
Joseph AKILIMALI CHIKWANINE, Youth for Peace DRC
Justice Call, Egypt
JuventudesXLaPaz
Khalifa Ihler Institute
Latinas for Climate
LIFT Liberia
Local Youth Corner, Cameroon
Luis Alvarado Bruzual, Fundación Váyalo
Maria Emcel, Fridays For Future, Girl Up
Michelle Clemente, Peace Education at Home
Mojisola Ogundiran, United Network of Youth for Peace and Diplomacy (UNYPD)
M Rhaka Katresna, Sekolah Damai Indonesia, (Re)aksi Remaja, Toa Damai Indonesia
OAJNU, Argentina
Our Generation for Inclusive Peace
Pakistan Girl Guides Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pax Politica
PeaceMentors
Peace Building Team, DRC
Peace Direct
Peacemomo, Republic of Korea
Peace of Art, Lebanon
Positive Peace Group, Cameroon
Professional Translators and Interpreters Bangladesh (PTIB)
RAFD for Development and Training, Jordan
Restless Development Nepal
Rete Italiana Giovani Pace e Sicurezza (Italian Network for Youth Peace and Security)
Service Civil International
Sheen Tyagi, President of Girl Up Nation Club
Shivang Verma, Neela Jahan Foundation, India
Social Hip-Hop Latin America
Suresh Kumar, Youth Network for Peace & Development, Nepal
The Peacebuilding Project, India
The Young Republic, Sweden
Tumult vzw, Belgium
Tushar Kanti Baidya, Inclusive Bangladesh
United Societies of Balkans, Greece
WE Organization, The Netherlands
World Esperanto Youth Organization
Yi Kang Choo, Youth Action Team CIVICUS
YOURE Organization, Vietnam
Youth Council of Spain
Youth for Peace International, India
Youth Initiative Against Terrorism, Nigeria