The Young Activists for Reform and Change Network (YARCN) held a meeting in Kabul on Monday to draw attention to the upcoming elections and the issues the group was most concerned with, including political coalitions, inclusivity and the participation of women.
Members of YARCN gathered in Kabul at the meeting applauded the recent high-profile coalition formations and said they were important to the legitimacy of the election. However, the youth activists also urged the coalitions to be as inclusive as possible.
"We strongly support the formation of political coalitions for further strengthening democracy in the country," said Syed Maisam Ehsani, YARCN Spokesman. "We urge these political alliances not to discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, caste or race."
The gathering saw a large focus on the role of women in the upcoming elections. The youth activists gathered suggested the formation of a more robust strategy for getting women to participate in the Presidential and Provincial Council elections set for next spring.
"The Independent Election Commission (IEC) should set-up mobile voter registration centers and polling booths for women in remote areas, where they often face difficulty getting to voting centers," said Zahir Mahboob, deputy head of YARCN.
Participants at the meeting in Kabul also stressed the importance of public awareness programmes in the lead-up to the elections. Such programs were recognized as promoting the significance of individual votes and helping women understand their Constitutional rights.
"Women have benefited from the several programmes that have been implemented," said Tamanna Ghori, a female member of YARCN. "But in the villages, they still lack sufficient knowledge of their rights."
Rafee Herawai, Chairman of the Sports and Health Commission of the YARCN, said that the Afghan youth should be mobilized, but need to prevent being exploited as a political tool by politicians looking to capitalize on their votes.
The Presidential and Provincial Council elections are scheduled to take place on 5th April, 2014. Several political parties have already started working toward creating awareness among citizens to highlight the significance of their participation in the elections, but more programs are expected to be rolled out soon. The IEC, supported by numerous foreign organizations and advocacy groups, has made the participation of women in the upcoming elections a top priority.