Topic: Elimination of Xenophobia and Racism
Country: Afghanistan
Delegate Name: Danielle Falling
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Afghanistan position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
There is great diversity in the world, however this diversity of culture and race should not divide groups of people into ‘less-human’ status sects. There have been national, international, and legislative strides in attempting to reduce racism globally and attempts to combat xenophobia. However this is an issue that transcends what all-encompassing legislation can do. There is more to radical discrimination between groups of people than race and the religious aspects that hinder Afghanistan and the rest of the world. It must be heeded that xenophobia does not simply include foreigners from outside an individual’s own country, but also can affect different groups of people within a country’s borders.
Afghanistan has to deal with a lot of tension and discrimination within its own borders in regards to the Hazaras and the Pashtuns. The systematic discrimination and history between the two groups has led to a great many clashes. Pashtun is in most ways synonymous with afghan, now days 72% of Afghanistan’s population identifies first as an afghan and next as their ethnic or racial group. However, over the years since Afghanistan’s formal beginning in 1747 there has been unfortunate clashes between different racial and ethnic groups. Afghanistan can be considered a microcosm of the international sphere as there are many races, religious practices, languages, and cultural background. There is still a spectacular diversity and overlap of ethnic groups in Afghanistan. At times somewhat fluid borders in some regions in Afghanistan release some tension, because the groups exist and function outside of the formal system of borders in place, this can be an example of how cultural xenophobia can be combated.
It is difficult to go about eliminating racism and xenophobia from a cultural standpoint. There is an avenue that is worth exploring, though. Systematic racism and discrimination based on a person’s cultural background or nationality can be combated. Where one ends the other can also be combated. For example, with the aid of different NGOs that can help to assist minority groups that are being excluded from the rights and privileges of the more advantaged group. This could be applicable to Afghanistan, which has the issue that some minority groups in conflict feel unduly targeted by members of alternate ethnic groups in positions of authority.
