At a graduation ceremony, 146 graduates from Paktia University Medical School walked the stage. There was not a single female graduate among them. Graduates of the medical school used this day as a moment to call for the Taliban to open up schools and universities for girls immediately, asserting that “girls also have the right […]
The Taliban “Suggests” the UN replace its national Afghan women staff with men. The UN says it is “steadfast” not to replace Afghan women with men.
In a recent meeting, the UN Envoy for Afghanistan told the UN Security Council that the Taliban, “act against the key values expressed in the United Nations Charter.” Roza Otunbayeva stated that while the Taliban wants to be recognized by the UN and its 192 member nations, the group continues to imposes restrictions against the […]
Afghan lawyers and judges are being persecuted by the Taliban. It threatens Afghan women, the justice system, and the rule of law.
The dangers facing Afghanistan’s judicial system began immediately after the Taliban takeover of the government in Afghanistan and has only been intensifying in the past nearly two years. In recent days, the threats and the persecution of the former judicial system employees have intensified even further, raising alarm among human rights organizations. The Taliban’s blatant […]
UN Report Highlights Gender Apartheid against Afghan Women
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recently released a report describing the challenges facing women and girls in Afghanistan as “gender apartheid” and that it should be called a “crime.” Co-authored by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and the Working Group on discrimination against […]
UN Report: Acute Starvation Grips Afghanistan, Affecting Women and Children
Food insecurity, acute starvation, and hunger continue to plague numerous regions worldwide, with Afghanistan ranking among the most affected countries. U.N. agencies have sounded the alarm about the risk of starvation in eight nations, including Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, Haiti, Burkina Faso, and Mali. The World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and […]
Taliban Orders International Organizations to Stop all Education Programs in Afghanistan
A new order from the Taliban demands that all international organizations providing education in Afghanistan stop their activities in a month and hand them over to local groups. A WhatsApp voice note began circulating among the Afghan networks on Wednesday, in which the official, purportedly a senior education official of the Taliban in Kabul, demands […]
Afghan Women Tell Special Envoys Not to Recognize the Taliban and “Refrain from Compromising our Rights.”
In a meeting with some special envoys of a few countries for Afghanistan, Afghan women emphasized that Taliban recognition should not be up for debate and that anything about Afghanistan should be consulted with Afghan women. Over 60 Afghan women representing diverse advocacy groups and coalitions met with the special envoys from Qatar, United Arab […]
Afghan Women Leaders Ask the UN Not to Recognize the Taliban
In an open letter to the United Nations leadership, UN Security Council, and member states, Afghan women demand that they stand “firm on their commitment” to not recognizing the Taliban as the official rulers of Afghanistan. The Taliban took power by force on August 15, 2021, and since their return, they have systematically violated the […]
Taliban barred women from working with the UN in Afghanistan. UN condemns and reviews its presence in Afghanistan.
The United Nations announced today in a statement that it is reviewing its “operational presence” in Afghanistan after the Taliban barred its women staff from working at the agency. The UN unequivocally condemns the decision, calling it “unacceptable” and “unlawful.” Last week, the Taliban authorities informed the UN that women employees of the UN would […]
Taliban Arrests Prominent Education Activist
This week the new academic year began in Afghanistan, and girls were once again denied their fundamental right to education. Schools only reopened for boys. The Taliban also arrested a long-time respected education activist for all kids across Afghanistan. Matiullah Wesa has spent years traveling to some of the most remote areas, promoting education for […]
Afghan women demand that the world listens to them and does not forget them.
As people worldwide reflect on the achievements of women this International Women’s Day, millions of Afghan women and girls are mourning the loss of their basic human rights and freedoms. They call on the world to listen to them and give them a central role in any discussion about their country. Since the Taliban took […]
Iranian Women Leading Unprecedented Protests
“Woman. Life. Freedom.” This is the chant that has been heard around the world as Iranian women lead an unprecedented revolution for freedom in their country. The nationwide protests were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of the morality police after she was arrested for not properly wearing […]
Afghan Women Judges Targeted by Taliban
Afghan women judges who presided over abuse cases are being threatened by the Taliban. Currently, their lives and the lives of their families are in danger, as members of the Taliban are tracking down and killing women justices for their commitment to gaining justice for women survivors. There are currently more than 200 women judges […]
Afghan Women’s Rights Activists Murdered
Last week, bodies of four Afghan women’s activists were discovered in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan. One of the victims was identified as Frozan Safi, a 30-year-old activist and private university economics lecturer. According to Safi’s family, she left her home on October 27 after she received an anonymous call asking her to collect her documents because […]
Starving Afghan Families Forced to Sell Their Daughters for Food
A recent CNN video features Afghan families who are unable to afford food at the displacement camps selling their daughters to old men in order to survive. The video shows a nine-year-old, Parwana, who was sold to a man as old as 70, for 200,000 Afghanis, approximately $2,200 on October 22. The incidents took place […]
Afghan Women Protest: “Why is the world watching us die in silence?”
A number of Afghan women took to the streets of Kabul on Tuesday to protest the world’s silence over the current situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. Videos on social media show Afghan women activists gathering at the gates of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Kabul and holding signs which […]
UN Chief: “We Will Defend the Rights of Afghan Women and Girls”
On Saturday, Secretary-General of the UN António Guterres tweeted that “in Afghanistan, the UN is staying and delivering, and will continue to promote and defend the rights of women and girls. We will not stop until girls can go back to school, and women can return to their jobs and participate in public life.” Since […]
Two Months in, the Taliban Continues to Abandon Girls’ Education
Earlier this week, at a speaking engagement in Doha, the foreign minister of the Taliban, Amir Khan Mottaqi avoided answering questions about education for women and girls and reiterated that they need more time on girls’ education. In response to questions on girls’ education, the Minister used “cultural appropriations” as the argument for not allowing […]
Taliban Killings of Hazaras Continue
Evidence found by Amnesty International shows that Taliban forces unlawfully killed 13 Hazaras who are Shia Muslims, including a teenage girl and eleven Hazara members of the former Afghan National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) in Daykundi province on August 30. A previous Amnesty report released in August also found that the Taliban had “massacred” nine […]
The Taliban Announces Additional Government Officials, All Members of Their Old Guard
Early this week, the Taliban announced additional members of their cabinet, and once again, all of them are the old guard of the Taliban, despite promises of an inclusive government during peace talks. The 38 new members of the interim government of the Taliban were appointed to military and civilian positions. On September 7th, the Taliban announced […]
