News from Afghanistan and about the Afghan people is often associated with violence in the western media, especially lately in the U.S. media. News of progress and success is rarely of any interest to the media or often taken with a grain of salt or dismissed as not enough to justify the investments made in […]
Survey: Growing Support for Women’s Education and Employment in Afghanistan
The Asia Foundation’s survey of 2019 shows a growing support for women’s education and their employment in Afghanistan. The survey released on Tuesday shows the progress made in the views of Afghans in regards to women’s rights and their position in public life. The approval and support for women’s education has continued to rise over […]
Afghan Civil Society Highlights Human Rights and Social Justice Issues
Building civil society (non-governmental and non-profit organizations) has been one of the major achievements in Afghanistan in the last 18 years. This flourishing new field gained recognition early on and became influential in addressing issues in the interest of the public. These issues have often included human rights, women’s rights, government accountability, foreign assistance, and […]
All-Male Feminism Panel in Pakistan Receives Backlash
The Arts Council of Pakistan received backlash for its discussion titled “Feminism; The Other Perspective,” which featured an all-male panel. After receiving criticism on social media, the Arts Council of Pakistan changed the name of the discussion, the makeup of the panel, and the graphics promoting the discussion. Originally, “Feminism; The Other Perspective” featured all-male […]
Afghan Saffron in High Demand
In an attempt to replace opium cultivation in Afghanistan, the Afghan government has continued to increase its efforts to replace the deadly plant with saffron cultivation. Saffron cultivation began in Herat, in the western part of the country, and is now being grown in 33 provinces of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan. Farmers are being […]
Taliban Releases Two Kidnapped AUAF Professors in Zabul
The Taliban has freed two Western hostages Tuesday, American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, after holding them hostage for more than three years, a U.S. official and the prime minister of Pakistan said Tuesday. Kevin King, 63, from the United States, and Timothy Weeks, 50, from Australia, were professors at American University of Afghanistan […]
Australian Woman’s Stalker Used an App to Track Her Phone and Control Her Car
An Australian woman’s ex-boyfriend used multiple apps to stalk her, including an app that controlled the functions of her car. The 38-year old man pleaded guilty on charges of stalking his ex-girlfriend, to whom he dated for six months. After police searched his home, they found a notebook tracking his ex-girlfriend’s information, including places she […]
Japanese Companies Ban Glasses For Women At Work
Some Japanese companies are enforcing sexist dress code policies, including banning glasses and makeup requirements, sparking a social justice movement amongst Japanese women. Women are reporting on their companies’ sexist dress code policies and the lengths they have had to reach to comply with them. These policies range from shoe styles to hair and nail […]
Director Roman Polanski Accused of 1975 Rape by French Actress
Valentine Monnier, a 62 year old French actress, revealed in an interview with Le Parisien that director Roman Polanski violently raped her in 1975 at his skiing chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland. At the time, Monnier was 18 years old while Polanski was 42. She told Le Parisien that she went to Polanski’s skiing chalet with […]
International Criminal Court Sentences Man to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Slavery
Bosco Ntaganda, a former rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been sentenced by the International Criminal Court to 30 years in prison after being convicted of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including rape, murder, sexual slavery, and the use of child soldiers. Ntaganda is the first person to […]
Transgender Cyclist Wins Cycling Championship, Gets Criticism from Competitors
Rachel McKinnon is dominating the women’s cycling field, yet is receiving backlash from her fellow competitors. This 37-year old Canadian woman won at the Masters Track World Cycling Championships in Manchester, England in the 35-39 age category 200-meter sprint. McKinnon is celebrating breaking a world record and her second consecutive world title. Her success was […]
Dozens of People Blinded by Chilean Authorities in Violent Response to Protests
More than 140 people have suffered severe eye injuries since protests in Chile began on October 18th. At least 26 people have completely lost vision in one eye, according to the Salvador Hospital ophthalmology unit in Santiago, the nation’s capital, and many others are still being treated. “Last Monday, we got 10 people with these […]
UN Passes Resolution to Implement Women Peace and Security Agenda
Nearly 20 years after Resolution 1325 was adopted, today the UN passed a resolution calling for the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The agenda, referring to Resolution 1325, was first adopted in October of 2000 and addressed the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women, and acknowledges the role of women […]
Pelosi and Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Make Unannounced Trip to Afghanistan After Trump’s Decision on Syria
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led an unannounced congressional visit to Afghanistan over the weekend, Pelosi’s office said Sunday evening. The secret trip was made as Pelosi led a congressional delegation to Jordan, where her office says they discussed Middle East peace and Syria with members of the country’s royal family. “This evening, our bipartisan delegation […]
Congressional Representatives Emphasize the Importance of Preserving the Progress in Afghanistan
A bipartisan congressional dialogue by Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) and Rep. Martha Ruby (R-AL) at the United States Institute of Peace focused on the achievements accomplished in Afghanistan. Both members of Congress have been leading a group of congressional members to Afghanistan since 2007 and have seen the progress there after more than a decade […]
Art Exhibit Uses Women’s Pantyhose To Explore Feminist Issues
22 international artists came together to create an art exhibit in the U.K. that uses women’s stockings to explore feminist issues. The Carl Freedman Gallery in Margate showcases the work of these artists whose subject matter is traditionally stockings. The exhibit is meant to explore themes of race, gender, femininity, and subversion. The curator of […]
LGBTQ+ Activist Killed in Uganda
Queer activist Brian Wasswa was killed in his home in Jinja, a city in Eastern Uganda. He had been working with the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF), a legal aid organization that does outreach work for the LGBTQ+ community. His murder was followed by the Ugandan Minister of Ethics and Integrity announcing that […]
Esther Duflo Wins Nobel Prize in Economics for Work Addressing Global Poverty
Esther Duflo, a researcher from Cambridge, Massachusetts, alongside two others, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Memorial Prize for economics. Duflo is part of a trio of researchers from Cambridge, Massachusetts, including her husband Abhijit Banerjee and colleague Michael Kremer, to win the prestigious prize for their work in addressing global poverty. “This year’s Laureates […]
Women In Saudi Arabia Allowed To Join Army
In a series of social and economic reforms, Saudi Arabia will allow women to enlist in the army for the first time. Mohammad bin Salman, the prince of Saudi Arabia, has approved a series of new reforms, the latest being allowing women to enlist. Possible ranks for women now include private to sergeant in the […]
Aisha Khurram Selected as Afghanistan’s 2019 Youth Representative to the United Nations
Aisha Khurram, a law student at Kabul University, has been selected as Afghanistan’s Youth Representative to the United Nations for 2019, joining a group of other young representatives from across the globe seeking to make their voices heard at the world governing body. Khurram — who was selected from among 80 candidates — is tasked […]