Women's greater role in nation-building

Even in some of Afghanistan’s most perilous locales -- areas too dangerous for aid organizations to operate -- reports suggest that there is a strong desire among the local population for socioeconomic advancement and improvements in daily life. That desire has led women and other civilians to cooperate with international security forces, at times providing information important to military endeavors.

“Policymakers and development agencies have in many cases been formulating their policy -- that women’s inclusion is risky and may have to be postponed -- on suppositions rather than facts,” Benard said. “Survey research and opinion polls indicate that Afghans generally were supportive of women’s social and economic participation, while statistical data show that gender parity and women’s participation in public life are a significant contributor to stability, not a risk factor.”

According to the study, nation builders should work to reconcile traditional values with progressive ideas involving women’s participation in society.

To enhance the results of nation-building, the study suggests that nations should place a greater emphasis on the broader concept of human security from the earliest phase of nation-building efforts. In addition, leaders should establish governance based on principles of equity and consistent rule of law, and should include women in the earliest economic reconstruction activities.

The study was sponsored by the government of Qatar and conducted within the Initiative for Middle Eastern Youth and the Center for Middle East Public Policy, both a part of the RAND National Security Research Division.

The report is available at www.rand.org. Other authors of the study are Seth G. Jones, Olga Oliker, Cathryn Quantic Thurston, Brooke K. Stern and Kristen Cordell.

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