Statement from Save the Children About Afghanistan Agreement

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Feb. 29, 2020) – Following reports that the U.S. government and the Afghan Taliban have signed an agreement to reduce hostilities, Save the Children has issued the following statement:

Onno van Manen, Save the Children’s Country Director in Afghanistan, said:

“Afghan children have been waiting decades for peace. Save the Children welcomes any sustained reduction in violence, but we also urge caution. The work is far from done and the real test will be intra-Afghan negotiations between the Taliban, Afghan government and other representatives of the Afghan people.

“In a country where half the population are children, it’s essential their rights are at the center of any negotiations about their future and all the hard-won gains in girls’ education and rights are not traded away.

“Children in Afghanistan want what every child does: a loving family, a chance to go to school and the opportunity to learn and play in a safe and secure environment, free from fear of death or injury. We urge Afghan leaders to ensure children and youth – girls and boys – are meaningfully consulted and involved in the peace process. This will help ensure that any peace agreement gives the majority of Afghans a stake in its sustained success.”

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.