A/RES/59/112 A-B as well as against women and girls, of facilitating the provision of efficient and effective remedies to the victims and of bringing the perpetrators to justice in accordance with international law; Reiterates the important role of the Afghan Independent Human Rights 9. Commission in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and stresses the need to expand its range of operation in all parts of Afghanistan in accordance with the Afghan Constitution; 10. Commends the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to mainstream gender issues and to protect and promote the equal rights of women and men as guaranteed, inter alia, by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 10 ratified by Afghanistan on 5 March 2003, and the Afghan Constitution, in this context welcomes the high level of participation of Afghan women in the recent presidential election, and reiterates the continued importance of the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of Afghan life; 11. Strongly condemns incidents of discrimination and violence against women and girls, welcomes the significant efforts by the Government of Afghanistan to counter discrimination, urges the Government to actively involve all elements of Afghan society, in particular women, in the development and implementation of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, and encourages the collection and use of statistical data on a sex-disaggregated basis to accurately track the progress of the full integration of women into the political, economic and social life of Afghanistan; 12. Notes with concern that opium poppy cultivation and the related drug production and trafficking pose a serious threat to security, the rule of law and development in Afghanistan, and urges the Government of Afghanistan, in cooperation with the international community, to implement its comprehensive national drug control strategy, aimed at eliminating illicit poppy cultivation, supporting increased law enforcement, interdiction, demand reduction, eradication of illicit crops, crop substitution and other alternative livelihood and development programmes, increasing public awareness and building the capacity of drug control institutions, and to promote the development of sustainable livelihoods in the formal production sector as well as other sectors, thus improving substantially the lives, health and security of the people, particularly in rural areas; 13. Expresses its appreciation to those Governments that continue to host Afghan refugees, acknowledging the huge burden they have so far shouldered in this regard, and reminds them of their obligations under international refugee law with respect to the protection of refugees and the right to seek asylum and to allow international access for their protection and care; 14. Calls upon the Government of Afghanistan, acting with the support of the international community, to continue its efforts to create the conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of the remaining Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons; 15. Stresses the need for further progress on judicial reform in Afghanistan, and urges the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to devote resources also to the reconstruction and reform of the prison sector in order _______________ 10 8 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1249, No. 20378.