In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Secretary Hillary Clinton appeared critical of President Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan and stated that the U.S. “has to focus on two huge consequences” for Afghanistan. “This is what we call a wicked problem. “There are consequences both foreseen and unintended of staying and of leaving,” she […]
Senators on Both Sides of the Aisle Express Concern About Women’s Rights Post- US Withdrawal from Afghanistan
In a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing this week, senators from across the political spectrum expressed concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan post- U.S. and NATO withdrawal this year. Members also appeared tense in their questioning of the U.S. government’s special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad. Committee members repeatedly expressed their concerns […]
Taliban Uses Increasing Violence as Leverage in Peace Talks
In a series of targeted killings across Afghanistan, Afghan journalists and members of civil society have become the biggest targets. Today, in yet another violent attack, Afghanistan lost a beloved and experienced journalist and a member of the civil society in Helmand, the southern part of the country. The killing of Elyas Dayee comes a […]
Afghan Women’s Groups Call for Meeting with Taliban Leadership to Discuss Equal Rights
Ahead of the Intra-Afghan talks, expected in days, a coalition of Afghan women’s rights groups have released an open letter to the Taliban leadership calling for a peaceful resolution to the four decades of war, reaffirming their position to preserve and build on the gains of the last 20 years, and calling for a meeting […]
Afghan Women and Their Allies Call for Meaningful Participation Intra-Afghan Peace Talks
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) and Cordaid, a leading Dutch relief and development organization hosted a virtual discussion on Afghan women’s role in the upcoming intra-Afghan talks on July 28, 2020. Panelists included former Ambassador of Afghanistan to Norway Shukria Barakzai; former Afghan Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Industries Nargis Nehan; former […]
US and Taliban Sign Agreement with No Women’s Rights Protections
This weekend, the United States signed an agreement with the Taliban to phase American troops out of Afghanistan after nearly two decades of war. Critics have expressed concerns about the deal’s implications for women’s rights, arguing that it could undermine the gradual progress made in Afghanistan since the US’s intervention in 2001. The agreement establishes […]
U.S. Pledges to Include Afghan Women in Peace Talks
After a week of marathon talks in Doha among Afghans, the U.S. Special Envoy for Reconciliation to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, reassured that the U.S. is not “running and cutting” from Afghanistan. Mr. Khalilzad was speaking to an audience at Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security at Georgetown University, via a video link from Qatar. […]
Taliban Car Bomb Shakes Kabul as “Peace” Talks with U.S. Continue
Today, after a relatively peaceful period in Afghanistan, the Taliban detonated a car bomb during morning rush hour in Kabul. The car bomb is said to have rocked the entire city, killing at least 16 people and injuring 105 people, including 51 children and five women. The United Nations, NGOs working in Afghanistan, and the […]
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Emphasizes the Inclusion of Women in Peace and Security Talks
Last Thursday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing to discuss the importance of women in building a long lasting peace in post-conflict societies, emphasizing women’s role in peace efforts and calling for the inclusion of women in its efforts of conflict resolution overseas. The committee created a goal to ensure that Afghan women […]
Women Call for Peace amid their Absence in the Peace Talks
Almost 3200 delegates gathered in Kabul from across Afghanistan this week to discuss peace in Afghanistan; nearly 30% of the participants in the grand assembly meeting were women. Women headed 13 committees of the total 51 committees and 28 were elected as committee secretaries. Despite some opposition and pushback from some conservative men, women continued […]
New Research Finds Women Make Nuclear War Less Imminent
New research, including research by the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy, suggests that women are a vital part of preventing nuclear conflict, as well as resolving potential nuclear weapons issues. Including women in non-proliferation talks is proven to increase the diversity of ideas and lead to more positive outcomes. The Royal Society found that in […]
Sen. Shaheen Invites Afghanistan Ambassador as NATO Joint Address Guest
Senator Shaheen (D-NH) brought Afghanistan Ambassador Roya Rahmani, the first female ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States, as her guest to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s Joint Address to Congress to highlight the need for women’s inclusion in all peace talks involving the U.S. and the Taliban. “I am thankful for Ambassador Rahmani’s willingness […]
Afghan Women Demand Inclusion in Peace Talks
Over 700 Afghan women from all 34 provinces participated today in a National conference to demand their inclusion in any peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan while stressing the importance of preserving women’s rights and upholding Afghanistan’s democracy. This conference was in response to recent peace talks between U.S. officials and the Taliban, a […]
Sima Samar: Afghan Women Should be a Part of Peace Talks
The chairwomen of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Sima Samar, stated that she supports women being a part of the Afghanistan peace talks. Samar presented on the role of women in securing peace at the “Women’s role in ensuring justice and human rights” Conference in Kabul. Samar pointed out the fear that many women […]
