20 September 2022

Statement

As the world meets for the 77th time at the United Nations General Assembly, the priorities, voices and perspectives of women of Afghanistan are missing

The General Assembly takes place every year, bringing world leaders, civil society, academia, and the private sector together to find solutions for the world’s most pressing problems. Afghanistan is currently experiencing the collapse of its economy, unprecedented levels of food insecurity and a human right, specifically women’s rights crisis, unlike any other in the world. 

Since 15 August 2021, around 40 decrees have been issued by the Taliban regulating women’s bodies, attire, and movement, stripping them of their basic human rights and liberties. Women have no right to political participation, girls are banned from attending school past the sixth grade, and women are barred from working most jobs outside the home. They are also banned from travelling long distances without a male chaperone and are increasingly being denied access to essential services. All laws protecting women, including the ending violence against women law, are suspended and women have lost every means of access to justice.  Women of Afghanistan have been taking to streets since the fall of Kabul to voice their opposition to the Taliban. Women protestors are facing arbitrary arrest, torture and even death in their brave actions and resistance. 

As women in Afghanistan are grappling with the world’s gravest women’s rights crisis, they are alone. This year, at the 77th edition of the General Assembly, taking place September 13 to 27 in New York, the priorities, voices, and perspectives of Afghan women are largely missing.

What it actually means in practice that no Afghan woman is represented at the UNGA this year is that the UN and the world are turning a blind eye to the world’s worst human rights crisis, which calls into question the commitment to standing up for human rights globally. The lack of attention to the rights of Afghan women and girls undermines the very foundation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that entitles everyone to equal protection against any form of discrimination. Statements of concern and verbal commitments to women’s rights in Afghanistan are not enough anymore when it does not come with any action. We need the international community to be as brave and bold as the Afghan women living inside the country are. We need the international community to stand up to the values they claim to represent. And we need the international community to do this now.

In a recent consultation process held with women inside the country, 92% Afghan women consulted stated that their lives have significantly changed since August 2021.  The world is shrinking on Afghan women every day but they are not giving up against all odds. Afghan women have no space in their homes, in their workplace, in their classrooms, no place in their governments, and this year, they have no space at the United Nations General Assembly - a forum that was designed to bring everyone together and fix some of the world’s most complex crises.

It is time for the international community to ascertain its value toward human rights protection and for its leaders to listen to the voices of women of Afghanistan. We appeal to the United Nations and the Security Council to hold high level meetings to discuss the situation in Afghanistan for what it is: Gender Apartheid.  A standalone resolution on labelling Taliban’s regime as Gender Apartheid can effectively keep women of Afghanistan a priority globally.

Even when we are not on the front pages and new crises capture the world’s attention, Afghan women will still be chanting, and will still be marching. Not just for themselves, but for every woman who has struggled and yearned to live a life of her own choosing. The international community has a choice to make, and one they must make soon. Either stand by Afghan women or fail women and women’s rights everywhere.

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Signatories to this statement:

1. Munisa Mubariz, women protester, founder of Afghanistan’s Main Powerful Women’s Movement 
2. Taman Paryani, Afghanistan Women’s Civil Rights Movement
3. Hoda Khamoosh, Founder of the Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice
4. Muzhda Tabish Noor,  University Professor and previous Dean of  Social Science Faculty
5. Dr. Habiba Sarabi, Former member of the Peace Negotiations Team and First female governor of Afghanistan
6. Shahla Farid, University Law Professor
7. Azadah Raz Mohammad, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne
8. Razia Barekzai, women protester and activist, The Spontaneous Movement of Protesting Women of Afghanistan
9. Samsama Sirat, journalist
10. Dr. Zahra Haqparast, founder of Unity and Solidarity of Afghan Women Movement
11. Mursal Ayar, Journalist and women protester
12. Nayear Kohistani, Women Protester and campaigner, The spontaneous Movement of Protesting Women of Afghanistan
13. Fatima Ghyasi, University professor and protester, Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice
14. Wahida Amiri, The spontaneous Movement of Protesting Women of Afghanistan
15. Shakiba Tamkin, Kabul School of Critic
16. Madina Darwazi, protester and activist, The Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice,
17. Zholia Parsi, Founder of Zan Library, Kabul
18. Zahra Nadir, editor in chief of Zan Times
19. Asila Wardak, Career Diplomat and a human rights activist 
20. Anisa Shaheed, Journalist
21. Attia Mehraban, Civil Society Activist
22. Naheed Sarabi, Development Practitioner
23. Fariha Easar, Social and Human Rights Activist
24. Fatima Roshanian, Founder and editor in chief at Nimrokh Media
25. Yalda Royan, Feminist Activist and Country Technical Team Lead at VOICE Amplified
26. Farah Mustafawi, Co-founder, Kabul School of Critic
27. Nigara Shaheen, Olympian
28. Metra Mehran, Fellow at NYU School of Professional Studies
29. Gesu Yari, Founder of Afghan Voices of Hope 
30. Nadima Sahar, Research Analyst
31. Palwasha Hasan, Women's Rights Activist 
32. Manizha Wafeq Country Facilitator of Peace Through Business Program
33. Mary Akrami, Executive Director of AWN
34. Nazila Jamshidi, Human Rights and Social Justice Activist
35. Sara Nabil, Artist and Activist
36. Hasina Jalal, Human Rights Advocate
37. Wesna Saidy, columnist and poet
38. Zahra Mirzaie, women protester, Mazar
39. Naheed Farid, Parliamentarian in-exile and Senior Fellow at Princeton University
40. Razia Danesh, Activist
41. Roqia Rezwan, Co-founder of Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom
42. Sofia Ramyar, Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT)
43. Arifa Batul Fatimi, women protester and human rights activist
44. Fariza Akbari, Protesters, Afghan Women’s Justice Movement
45. Maryam Rayed, Democracy Activist and Founding Director-AFWT
46. Sima Gull Haidari, Women Protester
47. Benafsha Naderi, member of Afghan Women for Justice and Freedom Movement
48. Shukria Haidar, The Negar Association
49. Najiba Sanjar, Human Rights Activist
50. Shamail Tawana Nasiri, Women’s Rights Activist and the Founder of Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom
51. Shabnam Shayagan, Teacher, running home school for girl 

52. Batool Haidari, Professore Universitario e Autore.

53. Khatira Rahimi, Protester, Women’s Rights Activist

54. Mahjoba habibi- Protester/Teacher

55. Zohra Walid Rahmani,  Dean of the Faculty of Psychology and University Professor, Kabul University

56. Fatima Etimadi, Referee and Instructor of Martial Arts, Women’s Rights Activist

57.  Masuma Mohammadi, Journalist and women rights activist

58. Zahra Sepehr, Laywer and Human Rights Activist

59. Roqia Ranjbar, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist

60. Bibi Zahra Hussaini, Psychologist, Researcher in Violence Against Women

61. Mina A. Rafiq, Human Rights Defender

62. Nelofar  Hashimi, Women’s Rights Activist 

63. Tahera Faizi, Psychologist, Women’s Rights Activist

64. Latifa Shujaee, Human Rights Defender

65. Keyarang Saadat, Human Rights Defender  

66. Sabira Akbari, Women’s Rights Activist, Board Member of Afghanistan Women’s Justice Movement

67. Huma Shujae, Human Rights Defender  

68. Tahera Nasiri, Protester, Women’s Rights Activist

69. Freshta Ghani, Author, Editor and Reporter

70. Zainab Behnod Haidari, Psychologist, Women’s Rights Activist

71. Shaima Hussaini, Reporter at Khawar TV and Women’s Rights Activist

72. Shazia Shirzad, Journalist

73. Frozan Rahimi, Human Rights Defender, Reporter

74. Marzia Foladi, Protester and Women’s Rights Activist

75. Taranom Seyedi, Women's Rights Defender, Human Rights Defender, Civil Activist .

76. Suraya Sabir, Women’s Rights Activist

77. Behishta Shaheen , Journalist

78. Zohra washed Akhtari, Women’s Rights Activist and Protestor

79. Zahra Mandgar, Poet, Photographer

80. Arifa Rezaye , Women’s Rights Activist and member of Women’s Justice Movement.

81. Zahra Nazemi, Civil society Activist, Writer and Journalist

82. Umulbanin Khavary, Human Rights Defender

83. Muzhgan Feraji, Freelance Journalist and Women’s Rights Activist

84. Razia Rahimi Nezhad, Human Rights Defender and Master Trainer

85. Razia Bromand, Women’s Rights Activist, Civil Activist