The Contemporary Middle East. A Documentary History

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Approval of the constitution based on the wishes of our people legitimized our
government. The constitution provides a legal and political framework for our polity
and moves our country towards a democratic and sovereign state after years of devas-
tating war.
After the establishment of the Interim Administration, the government passed sev-
eral laws and issued many legislative decrees to fill the existing legal vacuum. All this
was done in an effort to legitimize the working procedures of the government. In accor-
dance with the constitution, all these laws and decrees will shortly be submitted to the
National Assembly.
The presidential and parliamentary elections were two other major achievements
towards building a democratic state in Afghanistan. Adherence to the principles of par-
ticipation and election showed that the people of Afghanistan are taking courageous
steps towards ensuring democratic rule.


Peace and Security
To expand the legitimate control of the central government throughout Afghanistan
was a crucial issue in our state-building efforts. In our security policy, the demobi-
lization, disarmament and disintegration of illegal armed groups were very problem-
atic tasks.
The demobilization, disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) of armed groups from
one side and the building and training of a national army, national police and secu-
rity forces from the other, were two major tasks that needed to be accomplished.
In the first phase of the DDR program, thirty-six thousand light weapons and
ten thousand heavy weapons were collected from a number of 63380 individuals
out of which 61533 have been included in the reintegration process. 28157 per-
sons have taken reintegration courses and 23370 have been provided with employ-
ment opportunities after graduation. The disarmament process continues under the
DIAG program [disbandment of illegal armed groups, a process of demobilizing
fighters in illegal militias] and so far sixteen thousand light and heavy weapons have
been collected.
The building of a national army, police and armed forces loyal to the constitu-
tion is ongoing and so far around 34591 national army soldiers and more than fifty-
thousand police and security forces have received trainings. The human and institu-
tional capacities of the armed forces have expanded and have also been equipped
technically. Their leadership and management have improved considerably.


Education
We have had visible achievements in the area of education during the past four years.
Approximately 6.5 million girls and boys are attending schools and higher education
institutions. 35% of these students are girls. During the Taliban regime, even one
higher educational institution was not fully functioning but now there are 19 func-
tional institutions in the country out of which 10 are universities.


Human rights, women’s rights and civil society
In the last three decades, the human rights of our people especially of the women’s
were widely violated. In other words, Afghanistan was the home of prisons, torture


AFGHANISTAN 619
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