Anti-government protests that erupted in Iran at the end of December have lead to the arrests of an estimated 3,700 people and the deaths of at least 21.
2017 Survey of Afghan People Shows Signs of Progress
The survey reveals that although people in Afghanistan are more hesitant about their future and security than previous years, there are still some signs of hope and improvement in everyday life.
First Afghan Women’s Studies M.A. Students Graduate
Last Sunday, students at Kabul University became the first in Afghanistan to graduate from a Master’s Degree Women’s and Gender Studies program. This two-year graduate program, introduced in October 2015, is the first of its kind in all of Afghanistan.
Afghan First Lady Discusses Women in Peacemaking
First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani spoke at the U.S. Institute of Peace last Wednesday to discuss the role of women in the peacemaking process. Women in Afghanistan have largely been left out of these conversations in the past, however, the First Lady stated that Afghan women, “are no longer going to wait for peace […]
Deadly Bombing Kills More Than 300 in Somalia
On Saturday, in one of the deadliest bombings in history, nearly 300 civilians, reporters, and government officials were killed in a truck bombing in Mogadishu.
Israeli and Palestinian Women Come Together for Peace March
On September 8, nearly 30,000 Israeli and Palestinian women participated in a two-week Peace March through the desert. This Peace March was organized by Women Wage Peace, an organization devoted to promoting a peaceful resolution between Israel and Palestine.
US Pulls Out of United Nations Organization on Culture and Education (UNESCO)
On Thursday, the Trump administration announced its decision that the U.S. will withdraw from UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization at the end of 2018.
Female Governor in Afghanistan Removed From Office
Masooma Muradi, the former Governor of Daikundi, Afghanistan, has been removed from office after receiving continued opposition due to her gender. Muradi was the only female Governor in Afghanistan, and her position has now been filled by a man.
Arrests in Egypt After Display of LGBT+ Pride Flag
During a concert in Cairo on September 22, audience members waved an LGBT+ pride flag sparking an immediate response from the Egyptian government.
Celebrating Afghanistan’s Independence Day
This week the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington D.C. celebrated the 98th annual Afghanistan Independence Day. This celebration marks the anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence from Great Britain in 1919. Ambassador Hamdullah Mohib, Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells, and United States Lieutenant General John Dolan were present at this event alongside both U.S. and foreign officials. Nobel Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai was also in attendance.
Commemorating International Safe Abortion Day
The key components of International Safe Abortion Day include advocating for the decriminalization of abortion, reducing the negative stigma surrounding abortions, and ensuring equal access to safe abortions for all individuals. According to a statement from the United Nations regarding International Safe Abortion Day, “Denying women access to necessary health care is inherently discriminatory and a violation of their human rights.”
Saudi Arabian Feminist Movement Celebrates Lifting of Driving Ban
In a historic win for the Saudi Arabian feminist movement, women in Saudi Arabia have won the right to drive. In a royal decree issued Tuesday, the Saudi Arabian monarchy announced that the ban preventing women from driving will be lifted. A committee has been assembled to determine how the lifting of the ban will […]
Women & Girls Comprise 71% of Those Impacted by Modern Slavery
In the past year, an estimated 40 million people were victims of modern slavery, according to a report published last week by The Walk Free Foundation, International Labour Organization, and International Organization for Migration. The report estimates that of these 40 million individuals 71% of those enslaved are women.
Afghan President Welcomes US Troop Increase
During his statement to the United Nations General Assembly, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan welcomed President Trump’s plan to increase United States involvement and presence in the country.
Repeal of Global Gag Rule Included in Senate FY 2018 Foreign Relations Budget Bill
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a 2018 foreign relations budget bill which includes an amendment that would increase funding for family planning worldwide and repeal Trump’s Global Gag Rule which prohibits any non-governmental organization that receives U.S. family planning funding from offering abortion services or referrals. The amendment received bipartisan support, with Senators Collins […]
Writer and Afghan Scholar Nancy Hatch Dupree dies at 89
Described as the “Grandmother of Afghanistan,” Nancy Hatch Dupree dedicated decades of her life to preserving the history and culture of Afghanistan. Her death, on September 10, has sparked reflection on the impactful work that Dupree and her husband engaged in over their decades spent in Afghanistan. Over the course of her life, Dupree published […]
Supreme Court Upholds Trump Administration’s Travel Ban by Blocking Court of Appeals Decision
On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court blocked a lower court’s decision that exempted refugees from the Trump Administration’s travel ban. The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled that refugees who currently have contracts with resettlement sponsors or refugee organizations would be permitted to enter the country while the legality of travel ban […]
Civil and Human Rights Groups Urge Lawmakers to Pass DREAM Act
Late last week, the Feminist Majority Foundation joined 186 civil and human rights groups who signed onto a letter to Congress urging them to pass the DREAM Act without amendment. The DREAM Act, introduced to Congress by Democratic Senator Richard Durbin (D – IL) and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R – SC), is a bipartisan […]
Success of Afghan Girls’ Robotics Team Inspires More Girls to Join Robotics Program
After the success of the Afghan Girls’ Robotics Team that visited the United States in July, more and more young girls in Afghanistan have expressed interest in becoming more involved with robotics and technology. The Afghan Girls’ Robotics Team participated in the First Global Challenge in Washington D.C. After the State Department denied the girls […]
Lebanon Repeals Legal Loopholes for Rapists
Last week, the Lebanese Parliament voted to repeal Article 522 of the government’s penal code which halts the prosecution or conviction of an alleged rapist if the perpetrator marries their victim. Lebanon joins Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia on the list of countries to recently repeal similar legislation.