Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

CHAPTER 6GOVERNANCE, RULE OF LAW & HUMAN RIGHTSThe goal for the Governance, Rule of Law andHuman Rights is strengthen democratic processesand institutions, human rights, the rule oflaw, delivery of public services and governmentaccountability.Improving governance is essential to the attainmentof the Government’s national visionand the establishment of a stable and functioningsociety. The government’s guiding principlesfor improving governance are openness,participation, accountability, effectiveness, efficiency,coherence, equity, inclusiveness, justiceand rule of law applied at all levels of the government.The government will act as a policymaker, regulator, enabler and not a competitor,of the private sector. The main priorities forthe governance sector are (i) to increase thepace and quality of public administration reform;(ii) strengthen sub-national governancestructures; (iii) reform legal and courts processes;and (iv) strengthen parliamentary andlegislative processes including holding free andfair elections.While much has been achieved in strengtheningthe formal and informal structures of governanceand rule of law, as well as extendinghuman rights, considerable challenges stillstand in the way of achieving the goals underthis pillar. These include: (i) the existence ofmultiple, parallel structures of state and nonstategovernance entities; (ii) confusion overcentre/sub-national governance entities; (iii)weak public sector institutions and underdevelopedgovernance and administration capabilities;(iv) high levels of corruption; (v) fiscaluncertainty; (vi) weak legislative developmentand enforcement; (vii) weak parliamentaryoversight; (viii) weak community and civil societyinstitutions; (ix) ineffective and poorlydefined justice system; (x) gender inequality;and (xi) underdeveloped human rights enforcementcapacities.Three sectors are contained under this pillar:Governance, Public Administration Reformand Human Rights, Justice Sector and ReligiousAffairs. Sub-national consultation andthe Provincial Development Plans (PDPs) wereinstrumental in developing the sector strategy.GOVERNANCE, PUBLICADMINISTRATION REFORMAND HUMAN RIGHTSRole of the Sector in ANDSIn the Afghanistan Compact, the Governmentand the international community reaffirmedtheir commitment to certain benchmarks onPublic Administration Reform, Anti-Corruption, The Census and Statistics, NationalAssembly, Elections, Gender, Land Registration,Counter- Narcotics and Human Rightswithin the specified timelines. Functional institutionswith trained staff will be established ineach province to implement appropriate legalframeworks and appointment procedures. TheGovernment will also establish a fiscally andinstitutionally sustainable administration forfuture elections and prioritize the reform of thejustice system to ensure equal, fair and transparentaccess to justice.The strategy includes out efforts to reducegender inequality. Institutional and administrativeframeworks will be established at the localgovernment level that will enable women toplay an important role in decision making(such as the CDCs established under the NSP).The Constitution allows limited decentralizationspecifying that a Provincial Councils (PC)with elected members are to be formed in everyProvince and, that District, Village and MunicipalCouncils and Mayors are to be electedthrough, free, general, secret and direct electionsevery three years.Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights 61