As the NATO summit kicked off yesterday, dozens of world leaders gathered together in Wales to discuss most relevant security issues and future goals. However, while they focus primarily on the crisis in Ukraine and troops withdrawal from Afghanistan, they turn their backs on Afghan women. In Cardiff yesterday, the ‘No Women, No Peace’ campaign was launched by NGOs with an Afghan woman holding a sign reading “Talk to me, not about me.” Following recent presidential elections in Afghanistan, the Kabul government will start changing, as soon as Hamid Karzai will step down from his current president post in the coming weeks. This particular moment is extremely important for Afghan women to take part in political process. At this point, more than ever before, NATO should be monitoring women’s rights in order to protect the future of Afghanistan, which happens to be one out of five priorities for the today’s summit.

In thirteen years, since the NATOs’ invasion back in 2001, these women have come a long way from the point of denial of education, no work opportunities and complete inability to control their lives. Now, as they have jobs and their daughters go to schools, as laws aimed to prevent any violence against women, they are excluded from the discussion table of their country’s future. No voices of Afghan women will be heard at the security talks during the NATO summit today.

Despite NATO’s actions to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, that addresses under-representation of women in peace processes despite the terrible impact that wars and conflicts have on them, the situation remains the same.. Two years ago a Women, Peace and Security Task Force under the guidance of appointed Special Representative on Women, Peace and Security was established, and yet women’s voices will not be included at the summit. In other words, the work that NATO has done to include women into peace and security issues is being tested today where the absence of women presents another failed opportunity to shape sustainable peace.