E/2004/27 E/CN.6/2004/14 the Optional Protocols thereto,17 the Conventions of 12 August 1949 and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,18 Reaffirming that all States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recalling the importance of the implementation of Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, and 1460 (2003), on children and armed conflict, and in this context recognizing the recent Security Council mission to Afghanistan, from 30 October to 8 November 2003, which reviewed, inter alia, the humanitarian and human rights situation of women, Welcoming the entry into force on 26 January 2004 of a new Constitution following the successful outcome of the Constitutional Loya Jirga, at which women played a prominent and crucial role, while also welcoming, in particular, the provisions of the new Constitution, which state that the citizens of Afghanistan, whether men or women, are equal before the law and guarantee the rights of women to serve in the National Assembly, Welcoming also the continuing commitment of the Afghan Transitional Administration to the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by women and girls, the restoration of the active participation of Afghan women in political, economic and social life, the education of girls as well as boys and the opportunity for women to work outside the home, Welcoming further the fact that the Back-to-School campaign launched by the Ministry of Education and the United Nations Children’s Fund has been a major success and that 4.2 million children are now enrolled in school, while recognizing the need for the enrolment rate of girls in school to improve considerably, Welcoming the inclusion of women in the Transitional Administration, the Judicial Reform Commission, the Independent Human Rights Commission, the Constitutional Commission and the Secretariat of the Constitutional Loya Jirga, and stressing the importance of the full and effective participation of women in all decision-making processes regarding the future of Afghanistan, Welcoming also the fact that the National Development Framework of the Transitional Administration reflects the needs of, and the importance of the role to be taken by, women and girls in the process of peace-building, reconstruction and development, and welcoming in this regard the assistance provided by the international community to achieve these goals, Welcoming further the efforts of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, which host millions of Afghan refugees, especially women and children, and have provided humanitarian assistance in many areas, such as education, health and other basic services, Recognizing that, in spite of recent improvements, women in Afghanistan continue to face serious violations of their rights in many parts of the country, in particular in rural areas, __________________ 17 18 2 General Assembly resolution 54/263, annexes I and II. A/CONF.183/9.