A/RES/69/18 The situation in Afghanistan 5 October 2009, 1960 (2010) of 16 December 2010, 2106 (2013) of 24 June 2013 and 2122 (2013) on women and peace and security; 43. Emphasizes its steadfast and unwavering commitment and that of the Government of Afghanistan to achieving the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of Afghan life, the need for absolute equality of women before the law, equal access to education and employment and the participation and empowerment of women in Afghan politics, public life, government administration and security sector at all levels, especially in leadership positions; 44. Commends the achievements and efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to counter discrimination and to mainstream gender issues, including into the national priority programmes, and to protect and promote the equal rights of women and men as guaranteed, inter alia, by its ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women10 and by the Afghan Constitution as well as the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan and the law on the elimination of violence against women, notes the progress reported by the Assistance Mission in the implementation of the law, stresses the importance of its full implementation, a key commitment under the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, and underlines the need for continued progress on gender issues in accordance with the obligations of Afghanistan under international law; 45. Strongly condemns all incidents of discrimination and violence against women and girls and other forms of gender-based and sexual violence, including “honour killings”, underscores the importance of countering impunity for these incidents, especially against women activists and women prominent in public life, takes note of the important progress made by the Government of Afghanistan in this regard, and reiterates its appreciation for all measures taken to address targeted violence against women, including the contribution of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women); 46. Stresses the need to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of children in Afghanistan, and recalls the need for the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,11 its Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography12 and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict13 by all States parties, as well as of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005, and all other subsequent resolutions on children and armed conflict, and takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Afghanistan 14 and the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict on Afghanistan;15 47. Expresses its strong concern, in this regard, about the ongoing recruitment and use of children by illegal armed and terrorist groups in Afghanistan, as well as the killing and maiming of children as a result of the conflict, stresses in this regard the importance of ending the recruitment and use of children in violation _______________ 10 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1249, No. 20378. Ibid., vol. 1577, No. 27531. 12 Ibid., vol. 2171, No. 27531. 13 Ibid., vol. 2173, No. 27531. 14 A/68/878-S/2014/339, paras. 23–32. 15 S/AC.51/2011/3. 11 12/21