The Gender Equality Project of UNDP, in partnership with Ministry of Women's Affairs and Provincial Council officially inaugurated the first Provincial Women Development Council (PWDC) in northern city of Mazar-e-sharif. The event was attended by senior government officials, members of parliament, members of Balkh provincial council, heads of governmental directorates, UN agencies, Civil Society Organizations, local media organizations and representatives of local women.

PWDC establishment is significant as it opens tremendous opportunities for women's political participation at the sub-national level where the majority of Afghan women reside. The establishment of PWDCs also coincides with the global movement which began since the late 1990s with local governments declaring their commitment to make equal the number of women and men in decision-making bodies at all levels and in all policy areas of governance especially at the sub-national level. The PWDCs shall also provide oversight for effective implementation and quality delivery of the projects, especially from a gender perspective. The council shall meet periodically to study progress and deal with challenges, concerns and provide necessary guidance. It will provide essential directives, guidance and address any challenges evolve in course of the implementation. In creating the conditions for an effective integration of gender issues, the PWDCs will initiate different gender-specific activities in the province/districts. Basically the overall objective of the PWDC will be to strengthen the capacity of the officials of provincial and district governments as well as other traditional institutions from a gender perspective to enable them to design and implement activities for promoting the political and socio-economic empowerment of women.

Ms. Shakiba Shakib, an elected member of Balkh Provincial Council who is now also a PWDC member said: "I am proud to be part of this coordination mechanism; we are now really committed to deal with gender issues at sub-national level in Balkh province and elaborate different ways on how we can economically give power to women. I think through PWDC we are expected to create the conditions for an effective integration of issues relating to women empowerment."

Since 2008, UNDP GEP has been engaged in mobilizing communities in Balkh province to bring about a change in their mind set regarding the role and contribution of Afghan women to society. As part of this goal, UNDP-GEP had undertaken training programmes of religious leaders in Balkh province due to the considerable influence they wield among their constituencies and other similar efforts to provide an opportunity to influential men in the communities to learn about the correct interpretation of specific gender issues that would have an impact on improving the status of women. The establishment of the Provincial Development Women Council (PWDC) would be another right step in this direction.

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