From Kabul to Ottawa: Global Solidarity to End Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan

On December 8, 2025, the Parliament of Canada hosted one of the most significant international gatherings in support of women of Afghanistan. The event, titled “From Kabul to Ottawa: Global Solidarity to End Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan,” was organized by the Women and Children Research and Advocacy Network (WCRAN) in collaboration with Members of the Canadian Parliament.

The event featured Canadian MPs, Senators, representatives of international organizations, ambassadors, diplomats, scholars, women’s rights activists, women leaders, and journalists. As a major international event on the rights of women of Afghanistan, it drew global attention to the escalating crisis facing women and girls in Afghanistan.

Women and girls of Afghanistan are currently subjected to one of the world’s most severe and systematic regimes of gender-based oppression, widely recognized by legal experts and human rights institutions as constituting gender apartheid. This event in Ottawa aimed to advance international consensus on recognizing and codifying gender apartheid under international law, strengthening global accountability mechanisms, and ensuring that women of Afghanistan remain central to policy-making and justice processes.

Speakers from various backgrounds—including politicians, international organizations, and civil society—reaffirmed their commitment to supporting women of Afghanistan and advancing coordinated global action.

Hon. Ali Ehsassi, MP for Willowdale, opened the event by commending the consistent advocacy of women’s rights activists of Afghanistan and the significant work of WCRAN. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting women of Afghanistan. Following him, Zarqa Yaftali, Founder of WCRAN, underscored the urgency of global solidarity, continued international measures, and the collective responsibility of UN Member States to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

Ms. Robina Hamdard presented key findings from WCRAN’s research report on the situation of women of Afghanistan, revealing the widespread impacts of Taliban restrictions on women and girls of Afghanistan, including denial of education, mass unemployment, exclusion from public and political life, and sharply increased gender-based violence.

Ms. Humaira Saqib presented an open letter initiated by WCRAN and developed through consultations with more than 1,000 women of Afghanistan. Addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, the letter urges Canada to assume global leadership in recognizing gender apartheid in Afghanistan and to champion this issue across the United Nations and relevant international treaty bodies. It calls on the Government of Canada to take immediate and concret

e measures to support the rights of women and girls of Afghanistan, while also strengthening international justice mechanisms. Above all, the letter emphasizes that the rights of women of Afghanistan must remain central to all political discussions and decision-making processes concerning Afghanistan.

Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator for Manitoba, emphasized the need to focus on gender apartheid and

the protection of women and girls of Afghanistan.
Hon. Rebecca Patterson, Senator for Ontario, stated that women’s meaningful participation in decision-making processes is essential to ensuring a more peaceful and prosperous future.
Mr. Hassan Soroosh, Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada, highlighted the deepening human rights crisis in Afghanistan and the need to enhance accountability mechanisms for violations of the rights of women of Afghanistan.
Hon. Salma Ataullahjan, Senator for Ontario, stressed the importance of global solidarity with women of Afghanistan and highlighted their continued exclusion from political negotiations.

Two panel discussions were held in the second part of the event.
The first panel, titled “Advancing Accountability and Codifying Gender Apartheid While Centering Women of Afghanistan in Global Policy and Justice Mechanisms,” moderated by Ms. Akila Radhakrishnan, explored how the repression of women and girls of Afghanistan constitutes a systematic, institutionalized form of gender apartheid, the inadequacy of current accountability and legal frameworks, and the need to codify gender apartheid to ensure accountability and prevent future oppression.

The second panel discussion, “Strengthening Advocacy to Prioritize the Rights of Women of Afghanistan in Global Discussions,” moderated by Ms. Nasima Omari Sayar, urged the UN and international community to ensure that women of Afghanistan are included in decision-making and to formally recognize the deliberate dismantling of women’s opportunities and futures as gender apartheid.

Concluding the main event, Ms. Sotoda Forotan emphasized the need for sustained international cooperation and collective action to end gender apartheid. She noted that this gathering marks the beginning of a renewed and determined phase of global advocacy for women of Afghanistan.

The third and special segment of the event was dedicated to honoring individuals who have supported advocacy efforts for women of Afghanistan over the past four years. WCRAN recognized several prominent political figures, human rights advocates, and allies of women of Afghanistan by presenting the “Afghanistan Women Support Award.”

This year, the Policy and Accountability Champion Award was presented to Hon. Ali Ehsassi, MP for Willowdale; Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator for Manitoba; Hon. Rebecca Patterson, Senator for Ontario; Amb. David Sproule, Former Special Representative of Canada for Afghanistan; Mr. Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan; and Nell Stewart, Senior Official for Afghanistan, Executive Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at Global Affairs Canada.

The Advocacy Leadership Award was presented to Heather Barr, Associate Director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch; Ziauddin Yousafzai, Education Activist and Co-Founder of the Malala Fund; Karima Bennoune, Professor of Law at the University of Michigan; and Akila Radhakrishnan, Legal Advisor for the End Gender Apartheid Campaign.

The Support for Women-Led Initiatives Award was presented to Kaavya Asoka, Director of the NGO Working Group on WPS; Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, Founder/CEO of ICAN; Homa Hoodfar, Professor and WLUML Board Member; and Amb. Bob Rae, Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations.

The ceremony received a strong and positive response, underscoring a powerful message: recognizing the allies of women of Afghanistan is essential to sustaining the movement and strengthening global solidarity.

WCRAN also announced its plan to formalize the award and hold the ceremony annually during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence to honor individuals, organizations, and international allies who have played an important role in defending the rights of women of Afghanistan, supporting their advocacy efforts, and advancing the fight against discrimination and gender apartheid. The selection process will be overseen by a dedicated committee, with awardees chosen according to clear and established criteria.