Afghanistan is what Amnesty International deems a "human rights catastrophe". Afghan women and girls have suffered mounting abuses, harassment and restrictions of their fundamental human rights.
In Kandahar, one of the most violent provinces in Afghanistan, women are gathering for peace because they are tired of watching their family and friends killed in senseless acts of violence. Women in Kabul and every otherprovince of Afghanistan will express their solidarity with the Kandahar women by reading a message of peace at their International Women's Day gatherings on March 8th.
In the lead-up to the 28 January London Conference on Afghanistan, Afghan women human rights defenders released the following statement with strong, specific recommendations on security, development and governance priorities for their country.
As the only Afghan woman scheduled to address the plenary, I must spend a moment to focus on women's needs and priorities and the role women should play in efforts to stabilize and rebuild my country.
As the international community and the Afghan government gather in Paris on June 12 to review the effectiveness of aid investment in Afghanistan, women from parliament and civil society gather as a single voice to stress the need to put concrete action behind promises in safeguarding women's human rights and promoting their full participation as equal partners in building a peaceful Afghanistan.
The six-year, six-country, South Asian Campaign to End All Violence against Women - or the 'WE CAN" campaign - aims to deal with violence women endure daily, both within their homes and in the larger society in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
The implementation of the UN's Women, Peace and Security agenda on the ground is in many respects lagging far behind its ambitious conceptual framework. Case in point is the situation of women in Afghanistan which remains highly insecure, and many fear, will only become more difficult with the coming international military drawdown in 2014.
Current citizen upraising and political changes taking place in Arab countries - known as the ‘Arab springs'-represent a historical opportunity for advancing gender equality and women's rights. Women of the region have proven to be key actors and crucial agents of change on processes of transition initiated this year.
Reena, a member of the Revolutionary Association of the women of Afghanistan (RAWA), will address American audiences via live video stream from Afghanistan.
Distinguished Speakers:
• UNAMA - UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan - Ms. Georgette Gagnon, Director Human Rights Unit & Representative OHCHR - Kabul, Afghanistan
• Dr. Sima Samar - Chairperson, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission - Statement
