Statement by Kemal Derviş, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme on the occasion of the launch
of the Afghanistan Human Development Report “Bridging Modernity and Tradition: Rule of Law and the Search for Justice”
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests and members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am
very pleased to be here today for this official launch of the Afghanistan Human Development Report 2007 entitled: “Bridging
Modernity and Tradition: Rule of Law and the Search for Justice.” I would like to begin by congratulating the team of authors
for this report, two of whom have now assumed senior-level positions in the Office of the President. These scholars have
been bold enough to deal with a theme which is very relevant to the difficult socio-political and security contexts in which
the people of Afghanistan live today. The fresh ideas and frank analyses that they, together with many other distinguished
scholars have brought to bear on this Report, are truly ambitious and intended to provide practical policy ideas for strengthening
the rule of law in your country.
We all share the Afghan peoples’ hope for stability, prosperity and human development.
With the spectre of violence and uncertainty hopefully lifting gradually from this great ancient land, the need to extend
security and human development opportunities across all sections of the country assumes ever-greater urgency.
As the
Afghanistan Human Development Report outlines, key factors impeding progress on these issues relate to weakness of rule of
law institutions and of an effective justice system in Afghanistan. Too often, professional staff in the justice system are
poorly paid and many lack professional qualifications. Limited availability of professional resources and a poor physical
infrastructure are also not conducive to the delivery of justice. More importantly, key components of the formal justice system
– the police, the prosecution and the judiciary – do not operate as a system.
A key recommendation of the Afghanistan
Human Development Report – “Bridging Modernity and Tradition – the Rule of Law and the Search for Justice” – is a new ‘hybrid
model for Afghan justice’ that proposes the establishment of institutional relationships between the formal justice system
and informal institutions of dispute settlement - Jirgas and Shuras -in Afghanistan.
The authors argue that this will
not only significantly reduce the workload of the formal justice system, but it will also make the justice system more accessible,
cost-effective, and efficient. Within this framework, these long-standing institutions could become a transformative space
in responding to peoples’ need for effective and accessible justice systems, which is a key principle of restorative justice.
Effective
delivery of justice, according to the Report, would result in the creation of an environment that is conducive to human development,
that is an environment where people have the freedom to exercise choice and enhance their capacity to live meaningful and
healthy lives.
There is no doubt in my mind that the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals will not be
easy in an environment that is still characterized by high personal insecurity.
While we have seen progress in
some of the relatively tranquil regions of Afghanistan, other regions, however, have slipped even further into poverty or
have fallen victim to disease and conflict.
As the UN’s lead development agency, UNDP has a strong role to play
in directly supporting the development agenda you have carved out for your country. We also have a key role to play in helping
to facilitate broader UN system-wide effectiveness so that the UN can deliver as one, as a strong ally of the Government of
Afghanistan in its effort to rebuild this great country. UNDP stands ready to even further mobilize our worldwide network
and capacities to support the development agenda as reflected in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy. This is one
way in which we can reaffirm the commitment to Good Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights made by the international community
in the Afghanistan Compact. To have a lasting impact on the ground, resources for development must be sustained and be predictable.
In an ever more interdependent world, poverty and insecurity in one part of the world directly affects lives in other
parts. An investment in development assistance is increasingly being understood as also being an investment in building a
better and safer world for all of us. This assistance should, however, always be driven by strong nationally-owned strategies
focused on inclusive growth. Foreign aid can complement, but is not a substitute for such strategies.
UNDP hopes
that this Report will be play a catalytic role in fostering mutually beneficial collaboration between Afghanistan and its
partners. We will continue to work with your Government in the all-important area of capacity development of State institutions.
Equally, we will stay engaged in the vital agenda of deepening democracy and people’s participation, as well as in creating
a conducive environment for pro-poor livelihoods in rural and urban areas.
In this we stand ready to assist in
any way we can to leverage the rich knowledge and experiences from the region and beyond in the best spirit of South-South
cooperation.
As we are all too aware, peace and rapid economic, human and social development is the best antidote
to an environment characterised by fragile personal security and violence. Increased trade and investment flows; targeted
policies to tackle income inequalities and other rural-urban disparities; infusion of technology and knowledge and research
into the country; these are all necessary conditions for lifting the people of Afghanistan out of poverty.
We
look forward to working ever closely with your government in making sure the important messages of the Report are carried
forward in a way that best advances the cause of human development in Afghanistan.
We reiterate our commitment
to working closely with your government, civil society and the private sector to press ahead on our shared objectives for
peace, security and human development in Afghanistan.
Thank you.
