Submitted by Administrator on Mon, 2013/06/10 – 12:04
Mediothek organized a one day seminar on the rights of citizens in Mazar-e-Sharif. More than 100 people, including members of different civic institutions, law and political students of Balkh University and media activists participated in the seminar.
Saber Naqshbandee, the coordinator of Mediothek Balkh thanked the participants for their participation, he expressed hoped that this seminar will serve as prelude to other similar civic events in the city. The issue of citizen’s rights is a hotly debated issue in the Afghan society, and it was a coordinated effort by Mediothek Balkh to bring experts and analysts together to discuss the issue from a scientific stand point.
Hamidullah Zazai, the chief coordinator of Mediothek Afghanistan said that the seminar about “rights of citizens” is being held following two other similar programs – “rights of labor” and “the role of people in reconciliation” held in Kabul.
Sayed Abdul Hamid Safwat, professor of Balkh University and director of “Cooperation Center for Afghanistan” (http://www.cca.org.af/index.html), speaking on behalf of Balkh civil society institutions said:”right of citizens is something new for our new generation, the term has interned into the mainstream literature and discourses and media of Afghanistan after 2001 and the subsequent changes.”
He added that the issue of citizen rights in Afghanistan is a very crucial issue, stressing that recognizing citizen’s rights is in deed recognizing and respecting the laws of the country, the more citizens recognize and respects their own rights, the better their rights will be protected.
A representative of civil society from Italy, Mr. Alexander Depaskalabe also spoke to the audience, focusing on the evolution and the role of civil society institutions over government behaviors, and shaping public opinions. He stressed the significance of unity and collaboration among civil society institutions in bringing changes and reforms in societies.
Other speakers, including Taqi Wahidi a Balkh based researcher on human rights issues, he talked about the issue and answered participants’ questions. He shed light on the achievements of the Afghan civil society in the past one decade and the challenges which they have been facing along the way.
