Afghanistan: Advocating for the rights and voices of women human…

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For over a month, WHRDs Neda Parwani, Zholia Parsi, along with her son, and recently Manizha Sediqi, have been forcibly taken by the Taliban. These WHRDs have been advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan, the only country in the world where women are denied secondary and higher education.

Since the Taliban takeover, Afghan women have fearlessly led civic protests, enduring violence and persecution. Despite risks, including being pepper sprayed, abducted, tortured, and killed, they persist.

Zholia Parsi, speaking to Femena in August 2023, expressed frustrations about the impact of their struggles: ‘In an attempt to demand our rights, I started protesting on the streets. My protests feel futile, with little hope for change.’

Since the imprisonment of Zholia, Neda, and Manizha, women protesters across Afghanistan
continue to persist and resist the Taliban. They conduct indoor protests, urging the international community to hold the Taliban accountable, demanding justice.

For over two years, the Taliban have violated international human rights with impunity.

Femena stands in solidarity with these brave women, urging the world to listen and act. It is past time to demand accountability, ensuring the voices and rights of Afghan women are recognized and protected.

Our Call for Action:

• Pressure the Taliban: We urge UNAMA and diplomatic missions in Afghanistan to exert pressure on the Taliban, demanding an end to their targeted attacks on Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) and other civic actors within the country.

• Advocate for WHRDs: We demand that UNAMA, diplomatic missions, and Special Envoys for Afghanistan elevate the cases of WHRDs in Taliban prisons, advocating vigorously for their safe release and ensuring their human rights are protected.

• Support WHRDs: We urge key international stakeholders to provide crucial financial, protection, and relocation support to Afghan WHRDs whenever their lives are under threat. These measures are essential for safeguarding the lives and contributions of these brave activists.

We, the signatories of this statement of solidarity, demand action to support and protect Afghan Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) and advocate for their release from Taliban prisons in Afghanistan.

Organizational Signatories

1. Afghan Canadian House of Culture
2. Afghan Women Justice Movement
3. Afghan Women’s Revolution Movement
4. Afghanistan Women’s Justice Movement
5. Afghanistan Women’s New Thought Movement
6. Afghanistan Women’s Revolution
7. Alternatives Links for Training and Development
8. Anethum Global
9. AREU
10. ArtLords
11. AWID
12. Bent El Nile
13. Bibliotheek
14. Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA)
15. Center for the Projection of Afghan Women Journalists
16. Civil Society Association
17. Civil Society Development and Growth Organization (CSDGO)
18. Dare organization
19. Defence Foundation for Rights and Freedoms
20. Doria Feminist Fund
21. Droit Des Femmes
22. ECW
23. Equality Now
24. Farkhunda News And Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom
25. Femena
26. Feminine Perspective Campaign
27. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
28. Genocide Watch
29. Green Home
30. HRD+
31. Pen Path Education Society
32. Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras)
33. International Action Network for Gender Equity & Law (IANGEL)
34. International Service for Human Rights
35. Iran- SAed Rahnavard
36. Justice Movement To End Gender Apartheid
37. Kaboof
38. Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva (KMMK-G)
39. Kurdpa Human Rights Organization
40. Leila Hessini Strategies
41. Miaan
42. Movement of Women to Awareness
43. MOWA
44. Nazra for Feminist Studies
45. NRF Women- Afghanistan
46. PEN America
47. Powerful Women’s Movement in Afghanistan
48. Qarar foundation for Media and development
49. Salam
50. Sisterhood and Solidarity Inc
51. South Asian Women’s Community Centre, Montreal, Canada
52. Spontaneous Movement of Protesting Women of Afghanistan
53. Syrian Feminist Lobby
54. Takatoat
55. The Regional Coalition for WHRDs in SWANA (also known as WHRDMENA)
56. Training Human Rights Association for Afghan Women (THRA)
57. Unity and Solidarity of Afghan Women
58. WHRDS
59. WLUML
60. Women and Children Research and Advocacy Network
61. Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
62. Women Participation Promotion Organization
63. Women Strijders
64. Women’s Movement Towards Freedom
65. Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WOREC) Nepal
66. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
67. جنبش رفاه و عدالت برای زنان
68. جنبش زنان عدالتخواه افغانستان

Individual Signatories

1. Abida Jabarzai
2. Ali-AkbarMousavi, Postdoc Research Fellow
3. Asma Khalifa, Human Rights Activist
4. Aziz Khurasani
5. Batool Haidari, University Professor
6. Claire Rimmer
7. Faiza Mohseni, Pedagogist
8. Farid Barzgar, Poet and Peace Activist
9. Farida Safi, Journalist and Activist
10. Fatema D. Ahmadi, Consultant
11. Fatima Mohammadi, Activist
12. Hakima Kouhyar
13. Hossein Raeesi, Adjunct Professor /Human Rights Lawyer
14. Joyce Shanahan, Strategic Advisor
15. Kristina Stockwood
16. Latifa Ahmadi, Activist
17. Mahdieh Golroo, Feminist and Human Right activist
18. Mitra Ayari
19. Mona Tajali
20. Moni Alavi, Lawyer
21. Nadima Farani
22. Nayereh Tohidi, Professor Emerita
23. Niki Akhavan, Associate Professor
24. Palwasha Paiwandi, Human Rights Advocate
25. Razan ALMoghrabi
26. Sahar
27. Ben Hazem
28. Sakina Hassani, Student
29. Sawssan Abou-Zahr, Journalist
30. Sina Toossi, Policy and Editorial Advisor
31. Somayeh Rashidi, Social Worker
32. Sourget Claire
33. Stephanie Farrior, Professor of International Law (retired)
34. Storay Darwazy, Activist
35. Waheza Kakar, Activist
36. Weam Shawgi Hassan
37. Wida Saghary, Journalist
38. Zia Moballegh

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