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 […]
What Does the Future Hold for Education in Afghanistan? The Taliban Takes Control of All Education Programs.
In a new development, international education programs in Afghanistan will hand control over to local groups, under the control of the Taliban and its de facto Ministry of Education. NGOs have been crucial in providing support to Afghan children, especially girls by means of food, education and healthcare services after the takeover of the government […]
Silenced Resilience: Afghan Women Entrepreneurs Navigating Taliban Restrictions
Afghan women business owners and entrepreneurs have faced significant challenges in sustaining their businesses under the Taliban regime since August 2021. New edicts and decrees have severely restricted Afghan women’s access to public spaces and foreign markets, making it increasingly difficult for women to showcase and sell their crafts. In December 2022, the Taliban issued […]
Taliban’s Rule in Afghanistan Sets Dangerous Precedent for Global Peace
In a recent statement, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated the U.S. position on the Taliban, emphasizing the focus on US “national security interests in preventing a resurgence of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, and if necessary, taking action to deal with it.” According to a recent report of the United Nations Security Council, however, the […]
Norway Invites Taliban Officials to the Oslo Forum – A Growing Normalization of the Taliban Means Growing Danger for Afghan Women
At the invitation of the Norwegian government, a delegation of three officials from the civil service of the Taliban government are currently in Norway, attending the Oslo Forum. The goal of the meeting, set to take place over three days, is to discuss the major challenges facing Afghanistan with “representatives from other countries and Afghan […]
Female pastors ousted from the Southern Baptist Convention
RNS photo by Emily Kask A controversial movement within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to remove women from leadership positions has resulted in the expulsion of five female-led churches from the denomination. Among them is the Saddleback Church of California — one of the largest megachurches in the country, with about 30,000 people attending church […]
The Taliban Enforces Strict Ban on Music in Afghanistan
The Taliban’s religious police have issued an order to wedding hall owners in Kabul to refrain from playing music or engaging in activities that contradict their interpretation of Islamic teachings. Although this rule was announced verbally last year, it was not enforced strictly across the country. During their first regime from 1996-2001, the Taliban imposed […]
Supreme Court rules to protect the Voting Rights Act
Photo from Aurora Samperio/NurPhoto via ZUMA Press In a surprising win for voting rights and racial justice, the Supreme Court voted last week to reaffirm a decades old precedent prohibiting racial gerrymandering. The decision centered around Alabama’s legislative districts, where a Republican led redistricting plan would result in White voters becoming the majority in six […]
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 […]
UN Report Highlights Taliban’s “Exclusionary” Regime and Failure to Fulfill Counter-Terrorism Commitments
A recent UN report sheds light on the Taliban regime, labeling it as “exclusionary” and highlighting its failure to deliver on counter-terrorism promises. The report emphasizes the restrictive nature of the Taliban’s governance, which marginalizes many of the ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan. The UN Security Council report states that the Taliban regime’s return […]
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 […]
Protect Choice Ohio Coalition Pushes for Ballot Initiative on Abortion
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade last summer, abortion access in Ohio has been hanging in the balance. After the Supreme Court decision, a 6 week ban on abortion went into immediate effect throughout the state. The ban is currently on hold by an Ohio judge and pro-choice groups are working to protect abortion […]
Record Breaking Audience for Women’s NCAA Championship
Earlier this week, LSU and Iowa’s women’s basketball teams drew a record number of viewers as they competed for the collegiate championship. With 9.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN2, the game became the most-viewed NCAA women’s basketball game in history. Basketball fans across the country tuned in for the game. At its peak, the […]
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 […]
International Women’s Day 2023: An update on reproductive freedom
As we celebrate this International Women’s Day, it is important that we take time to reflect on the rapidly changing status of reproductive freedom in our country following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Yesterday, Florida Republicans introduced an extreme 6-week abortion ban in the state legislature, with the Republican supermajority making it almost certain […]
Taliban Bans the Selling of Contraceptives in Afghanistan
In the latest attack on women, the Taliban has ordered pharmacies in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif to stop selling any form of contraceptives. The Taliban has called family planning and the use of contraception “Western” and “forbidden” in their interpretation of Sharia law. Mazar-e-Sharif is the largest city in northern Afghanistan, where many family planning programs […]
