Women and Children Research and Advocacy Network- WCRAN conducted a hybrid event entitled “All together in Support of Afghanistan Women: Women’s Rights are Not Negotiable” With the participation of more than 120 people on June 27, 2024, in the HQ of the permanent mission of Belgium in the UN in New York City. The Permanent Mission of Belgium in the United Nations based in New York, ICAN, Malala Fund, Atlantic Council, and WLUML co-hosted the conference. The event brought together representatives from the U.S. government, permanent representatives of countries in the UN, representatives of INGOs, and women’s rights activists to discuss strategies for building solidarity to support Afghanistan women and ensure their participation in the Doha III meeting on Afghanistan.
Ms. Zarqa Yaftali, Director of WCRAN, inaugurated the conference by outlining the development process of a strategic roadmap and emphasized the urgent need to address the significant challenges Afghanistan women face.
She added that Afghanistan stands as the only country where women are barred from accessing education and employment, facing severe restrictions on their freedoms and fundamental rights, and highlighted that more than 60% of edicts issued by the Taliban restrict women’s rights with the latest edict setting the monthly salary of all female government employees at 70 USD. Ms. Yaftali raised the necessity of including women in all discussions regarding Afghanistan’s future and called on the international community to hold the Taliban accountable for their violations of women’s rights.
The WCRAN members presented the Roadmap to Global Alliance in Support of Afghanistan Women, developed by WCRAN through consultations with 2100 women and women-led organizations across Afghanistan. They emphasized that the roadmap is designed to strengthen collaboration among international actors in their efforts to support Afghanistan women.
The presented Roadmap, presented by the WCRAN members, consisted of 4 policy options for Roadmap objectives including:
Ms. Rina Amiri, US, SE for Afghanistan Women, Girls, and Human Rights stated that the situation in Afghanistan transcends capacity and governance challenges; it represents a systematic and structural effort to erase women and girls from public life, with implications that extend far beyond its borders. Ms. Amiri emphasized that the international community has both a moral and strategic obligation to support Afghanistan women and girls, noting that a country that marginalizes women not only fails to thrive but also poses significant security risks to the broader community. She highlighted the need for greater coherence in international efforts, asserting that accountability for the Taliban’s actions requires a structural and long-term approach from the international community.
Ms. Diarra Dime-Labille, Minister Counselor and head of the legal and human rights division shed light on the importance of women’s rights inclusion as a central agenda point in the Doha III meeting and ensuring the meaningful participation of women and civil society representatives. She emphasized that the voices of Afghanistan women and civil society must be heard and their demands taken seriously in these critical negotiations.
SHINO Mitsuko, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN emphasized on the responsibility of UN member states to strengthen peace agendas in Afghanistan, asserting that it is imperative to teach the Taliban that true peace transcends the mere absence of conflict; it includes the fundamental right to live with dignity. Concluding her remarks, she stressed the importance of ensuring the voices of Afghan women are heard and their demands are taken seriously as the international community approaches the Doha III meeting.
Ms. Zuhal Salim, a former diplomat from Afghanistan, presented an open letter written by 47 organizations and 122 individuals from inside Afghanistan and abroad to UNSG António Guterres and special envoys/representatives of the UN member states. The letter was written to highlight the urgent and escalating human rights crisis in Afghanistan, particularly the ongoing women’s rights violations. The letter shared specific recommendations on women and civil society’s inclusion in the Doha III meeting, the reverse of all decrees by the Taliban violating women’s rights, the qualifications of the UN special envoy for Afghanistan, and transparency of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. The letter writers emphasized that there is no need for the Doha III meeting without the participation of women by affirming “NO WOMEN, NO DOHA MEETING”
Ms. France Bognon, Interim CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), spoke about the importance of including civil society and women’s human rights defenders (WHRDs) in the upcoming Doha III meeting. She emphasized that the absence of women conveys a strong message to extremists that their actions can go unchallenged. Ms. France underscored the importance of prioritizing women’s participation in the Doha III meeting, as they offer valuable, evidence-based recommendations for future improvements.
Ms. Akila Radhakrishnan, Strategic Legal Advisor for Gender Justice for the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Litigation Project discussed the recognition and codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. She criticized the current international communities’ approach toward the Taliban deeming it as legitimizing the Taliban’s systematic oppression of women. Ms. Akila advocated for the recognition of gender apartheid by highlighting three key elements including the need for equality in women’s rights, the importance of accountability for perpetrators of gender apartheid, and strategies to effectively pursue these objectives.
Concluding the event, H.E. Philippe Kridelka, Belgium’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, expressed gratitude to all participants, particularly Ms. Zarqa Yaftali, CEO of WCRAN, for her dedication and efforts in advocating for human rights, especially for Afghanistan women during such critical time. He emphasized that hosting the event was an honor to assist Afghanistan women in amplifying their voices and advocating for their rights.