The Asia Foundation has released their annual Afghanistan survey titled Afghanistan in 2018: A Survey of the Afghan People. It showed an improvement in the perception on the rights and participation of women and girls in society, but there are still many challenges faced by women in the region.
Girls’ Hygiene Day Celebrated in Afghanistan
Recently, Afghanistan celebrated Girls’ Hygiene Day and for the first time set forth guidelines that encourage young girls to feel empowered and knowledgeable about their bodies. The Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) guideline attempts to reach teachers, mothers, and young girls to raise awareness of girl’s hygiene and break prevalent menstruation stigma in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, […]
Record Numbers of Afghan Women Vote and Run for Office in Afghan Elections Amid Violence
Despite Taliban threats of violence on Election Day, record numbers of Afghan women and men turned out to vote in the Afghan parliamentary elections on October 20th and 21st. In total, some 45% of Afghan registered voters cast a ballot including at least 33% of Afghan women voters. In some areas almost 50% of the […]
Top Afghan General Assassinated by Taliban
Last week, General Abdul Raziq of Afghanistan, 39, along with the Intelligence Chief and Governor of Kandahar City were fatally shot in Afghanistan by one of their bodyguards after leaving a meeting.
First Woman Summits Afghanistan’s Tallest Mountain
On August 10th around 6:30pm, Hanifa Yousoufi made history by being the first woman to summit Mt. Noshaq in Afghanistan. Mt. Noshaq is Afghanistan’s tallest peak, and is 4,000 feet higher than the tallest peak in North America.
Historic Number of Women Running for Afghan Parliament.
On September 28, candidates for the Afghan parliament launched their campaigns ahead of the October 20 elections. Of the 2,565 people running, a historic 417 are women. According to data by The World Bank, the number of seats in parliament held by women rose from 4 percent in 1990 to 28 percent in 2017.
350 Afghan Women Certified by USAID
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Women’s Leadership Development program, Promote, awarded over 350 Afghan women certificates of accomplishment last week.
Victory in the Fight to End Virginity Testing in Afghanistan
A major breakthrough was secured for Afghan women last week following a new policy that aims to prohibit virgin testing across health care facilities.
Afghan Women Break Glass Ceilings
Women in Afghanistan are being celebrated for unprecedented rises in female leadership and activism across social, political, and economic spheres.
Afghan Girls Robotics Team Continues Success
After first gaining fame in the summer of 2017, the Afghan Girls Robotic Team continues to wow the world following an incredible international tour. The most recent success for the team of six young women was in Ontario, Canada, where they were honored with the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Award.
Journalists Killed While Covering Explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan
ISIS took credit for the attacks which killed 30 civilians including nine journalists.
Delegation of Afghan Women Discuss Country’s Progress
A delegation of eight high-ranking Afghan women officials visited Washington DC last week to discuss their country’s progress in women’s equality, fiscal reforms, peace efforts and foreign relations. The delegates included:
Afghan Women Coders Make Anti-Drug Trafficking Video Game
A group of Afghan women who broke gender barriers by becoming the first female coders in the country have designed a game called “Fight against Opium,” underscoring Afghanistan’s struggle to combat opium trafficking.
Afghan Girls Robotics Team Back in the US
On January 5, the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, who became famous after they were denied a visa to enter the U.S. for an international robotics competition in summer 2017, came back to the United States to attend, speak and exhibit their newest robot at the 4th annual Raw Science Film Festival.
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
