The World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), gathering over 240.000 member worldwide expresses its deep concern about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan and the impact on the human rights and livelihoods of its people, in particular women and girls that might be again deprived from the most basic rights including, movement, work and education.
Afghan women and girls, as all Afghan people, deserve to live in safety, security and dignity. Any form of discrimination and abuse should be prevented, human rights need to be protected and preserved for everyone.
In this trying context we call on
On the international community active in Afghanistan to seek safe passage out of the country for all that want to leave.
On any future government to ensure that rights and freedoms that have become an integral part of the life of women and girls in Afghanistan during the last twenty years to be protected.
We call on the United Nations to stay in Afghanistan and continue deliver support to the people in need.
We encourage our membership to
Welcome refugees and mobilise support in partnership with other levels of governments, NGOs and the Afghani diaspora
Support the United Nations, in particular the World Organization on Migration, and international community in their efforts to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and human rights
In the hope and conviction that the international community can stand to the task and that humanity will not let the people of Afghanistan, its women and girls, fall back to the darkest of days; we commit to solidarity, working together and standing for human rights and making sure that the voices of the people, in particular women and girls, of are heard.