Governance Structure
New Afghanistan Democratic Forum is established to serve as an inclusive, diverse, and democratic civil society platform.
01. The General Assembly
The General Assembly will be the highest decision-making body of the Forum at which members of the leadership are elected for a one-year term. The Forum will bring together individuals and representatives of civil society organisations from both inside and outside Afghanistan. The Assembly will approve the by-laws, resolutions, and statutes of the Forum. It will lead civil society events for Afghanistan that provide networking as well as experience-sharing opportunities… The Assembly will be a platform where sector wide challenges and opportunities, concrete projects and ideas can be discussed. Moreover, it will be a space where new partnerships can be built to help achieve the overall goals of the Forum and shape the future of Afghanistan.
02. The Leadership Council
The Leadership Council is the representative body of the Forum with a mandate from civil society both inside and outside Afghanistan. The Council serves as the governing board of the Forum, consisting of members elected for a one-year term by the assembly. The Council will meet four times per year to develop strategies for future development and guide the activities of the Forum. The minutes of the Leadership Council meetings - which will be made available to the public - are noted by the Secretariat, which is also present at the meetings. Members of the Leadership Council will act on a voluntary basis.
The first meeting of the General Assembly took place in October 2022, organised by the Centre for Dialogue and Progress - Geneva, during which the leadership council and Secretariat members were appointed. The following organisations have designated representatives to serve on the leadership council for a one-year term, concluding on December 31, 2025:
03. Secretariat
The Secretariat is an executive body that reports to the Leadership Council. The Secretariat works to support the activities of the Leadership Council and serves as the Forum’s information, coordination, and expertise hub for members. The Secretariat ensures greater visibility of the activities of the Forum, including the Thematic Working Groups (TWGs). By liaising with governments and international organisations, the Secretariat will increase collaboration between the civil society of Afghanistan and its international partners.
In addition to the leadership council, the General Assembly also appointed representatives of the following organisations to form the Secretariat:
04. Thematic Committees or Working Groups
There will be Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) within the Forum. These TWGs will be organised along the proposed priorities endorsed by the Leadership Council and the General Assembly for the Forum. The following issues are identified as priority for forming thematic WGs:
TWG: Counterterrorism and counternarcotics
TWG: Human rights and women’s rights
TWG: A democratic, pluralist and diverse political system in Afghanistan
TWG: Humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan (and avoiding Taliban misuse)
TWG: Education and the Taliban’s ambition of mass radicalisation of the youth
TWG: To Facilitate Dialogues: civil, political, and religious (coupled with national and regional)
05. Advisory board
The advisory board will include prominent leaders from governments, international civil society, academia, and the private sector, both from Afghanistan and friends of Afghanistan. They will provide strategic advice and guidance to the leadership council to steer the forum towards realising its overarching objectives.
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