Strasbourg, 17/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - Last Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution on women in Afghanistan and welcomed the agreement obtained at Bonn, announcing the deployment of a multi-national force serving under a United Nations mandate in the near future. It has demanded that women's rights are fully guaranteed in the future Constitution, and called on the provisional authorities in Afghanistan to implement measures that allow women to circulate freely and have access to education, health and employment. It also called on legislation to be passed that recognises equality between men and women in all fields. Parliament also warmly welcomed the plan to create a Minister for Women in the new government, as well as the announcement by the Loya Jirga organisation that a special committee will ensure that a large number of women attend the Constituent Assembly in six months time.
Parliament has also proposed that the United Nations designates a woman rapporteur to monitor sexual equality and ensure that commitments made on women's issues made during the transition and reconstruction process in Afghanistan are respected. It is calling on donor countries, particularly from the EU, to ensure that women are the direct recipients of 25-30% of economic aid set aside for reconstruction in the country. It has called for an international women's day to take place on 8 March 2002 - "Afghan Women's Day".