Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

Taliban Resumes Killing Afghans Despite Agreement with the U.S.; Human Rights, Women’s Rights, Democracy Omitted

Shortly after the U.S. and the Taliban signed a so-called peace agreement, the Taliban resumed their attacks across Afghanistan in 24 of its 34 provinces. Between February 29th and March 4th, the Taliban conducted 76 attacks. More than 100 Afghan government officials and civilians have been killed in these attacks. In a major attack today […]

Afghanistan Education Global Womens Rights

Survey: Growing Support for Women’s Education and Employment in Afghanistan

The Asia Foundation’s survey of 2019 shows a growing support for women’s education and their employment in Afghanistan. The survey released on Tuesday shows the progress made in the views of Afghans in regards to women’s rights and their position in public life. The approval and support for women’s education has continued to rise over […]

Afghanistan

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. […]

Global

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 […]

Afghanistan Global Politics Womens Rights

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 […]

Global

Woman Won Afghan Singing Competition for the First Time

A woman has won Afghan singing competition, Afghan Star, for the first time in the shows 14-year run. Zahra Elham, an 18 year old and from the Hazara ethnic minority group, beat out her male opponent for first place. As Elham claimed victory, she said “today I represent all the girls of Afghanistan. Today not […]

Global Womens Rights

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 […]

Global

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 […]

Global

Afghan Women Concerned Over Possible Agreement With Taliban

Afghan government officials have reportedly negotiated a draft peace framework with the Taliban, raising concerns among women’s rights activists in Afghanistan and around the world that any reemergence of the Taliban on the political scene could mean a rollback of women’s advancements in the country, as it did under the Taliban’s previous reign.

Global

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.