A/HRC/43/74 specifically to women and women’s rights. 8 Women comprised 30 per cent of delegates, chaired 13 of the 50 committees, and two women were elected as deputy heads of the assembly (out of five members). 56. Women’s participation in law enforcement slightly increased, from 3,200 policewomen in 2018 to 3,617 policewomen at the time of writing. Harassment in the workplace remained a concern for female security sector personnel. In March 2019, the Ministry of Interior Affairs endorsed its internal sexual harassment complaint mechanism for policewomen,9 a gender policy and a policewomen incentive policy. VIII. Peace and reconciliation, including accountability and transitional justice 57. UNAMA/OHCHR continued to support the Government, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and civil society in the promotion of increased democratic space, the protection of human rights defenders, accountability for human rights violations, the fight against discrimination, the promotion of inclusive and human rightscompliant peace and reconciliation processes, and transitional justice. To promote these agendas, UNAMA/OHCHR organized 45 events countrywide involving 1,069 (267 women) human rights defenders, journalists, government officials, the Commission and local community leaders. UNAMA/OHCHR also supported the broadcasting of thematic radio programmes across Afghanistan. In October, in Herat, it led two training sessions on women’s engagement in peacemaking and transitional justice. 58. In February, UNAMA/OHCHR supported a two-week visit by a Senior Mediation Adviser from the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The Senior Adviser provided UNAMA with recommendations in areas relating to transitional justice, the promotion of human rights in peacemaking and inclusiveness and participation in peacerelated processes. UNAMA/OHCHR continue to follow up on the recommendations, including by organizing discussions with local scholars on issues relating to the promotion and protection of human rights under Islamic law. On 25 August, UNAMA and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Afghanistan established an informal “group of friends” on transitional justice to further coordinate engagement in this area. 59. On 14 February, in Kabul, UNAMA/OHCHR participated in the inauguration of the Afghanistan Centre for Memory and Dialogue, a civil society initiative. The Centre has a collection of “memory boxes” that survivors – family members and relatives of victims – have created and filled with carefully chosen personal objects and stories of their loved ones. The Deputy Secretary-General was shown the advocacy work performed by the Centre during her two-day visit to Afghanistan, in July. 60. On 12 April, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court unanimously rejected the request to proceed with an investigation for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Afghanistan submitted by the Prosecutor on 20 November 2017. 10 The judges decided that an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan would not serve the interests of justice at the present time. On 27 September, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court scheduled a hearing for 4 to 6 December to receive oral arguments in the appeals of victims and of the Prosecutor against the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber II of 12 April. Given the importance of the legal issues at stake, the Appeals Chamber invited interested States to attend the hearing, and academic and civil society experts to submit applications to participate as amici curiae. 8 9 10 10 Article 7 states that the rights of citizens, including women’s rights, as set forth in the Constitution should be strengthened as they are the foundations of the peace process, meaning that human rights should not be compromised. Article 18 states that the persons involved in negotiations should include Afghans from different walks of life, including women, though it does not specify any quotas. An implementation plan was under development and is to be operationalized in 2020. Supported by the representations of 699 victims on behalf of 6,000 individuals, 1,690 families and 26 villages.