News stories

KANDAHAR - Access to justice and the rights of defendants are key elements of rule of law, said panellists at a UN-backed TV debate in the southern city of Kandahar. A four-member panel -- involving a judge, a lawyer, the…

BAMYAN - An agreement to establish district-level civil society networks to promote improved transparency and accountability in local governance was the key outcome of a UN-backed workshop in central Bamyan’s Panjab district…

ASADABAD - The significance of the democratic process in Afghan society was discussed at a UN-backed TV debate in Asadabad, the capital of eastern Kunar province. A five-member panel -- including representatives of civil…

A delay in the adoption of the government programme and budget amid the political wrangling has affected government services. In a press statement, the Security Council “urged national actors to abide by the Constitution and…

HERAT - An Afghan student took both Best Film and Best Director awards at Herat’s first ever film festival on the effects of armed conflict on children, held over the weekend in Herat city, the capital of western Herat…

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia Michael Keating has vowed to press for the full participation of Somali women in the 2016 electoral process during a meeting today with…

SHARANA - Empowering women means their involvement in decision-making in the community, according participants at a UN-backed debate in the south-east province of Paktika. More than 30 people took part in the panel-led…

KABUL - To review preparations one month ahead of a major international conference on Afghanistan, diplomats, international organizations, civil society and the private sector met today at the Presidential Palace with senior…

A UN report on freedom of expression in Somalia has welcomed the country’s recent progress in making government more accountable and widening political space for Somali citizens to air their views. But the report also draws…

KABUL - UNAMA’s Acting Head of Mission Pernille Dahler Kardel and the UN elections team met with H.E. President Ashraf Ghani and senior government officials today. The President asked for UN technical views on proposals…