Respect, Protect, Fulfill:

Afghan Women’s Rights at a Crossroads

Tuesday, January 19th, 2021

The Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada (WPSN-C) hosted a presentation and discussion with Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. 

The event included an overview of the current situation in Afghanistan focused on the Intra-Afghan peace talks and the importance of women’s participation in these negotiations and wider peacebuilding, at a time of escalating violence. The potential threats to advances made in women’s rights, specifically the right to education, amid an increase in targeted attacks on educators, students and places of learning were addressed.

Through their advocacy work, CW4WAfghan seeks to amplify the voices of Afghan women activists directly affected by on-the-ground realities in the country, including their calls for a true, immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan as a condition for meaningful peace talks to occur, and as an outcome of the talks. This session was an opportunity to hear directly from Afghan women, to learn about the pressing need for global solidarity through advocacy efforts, and to pose questions to speakers, including CW4WAfghan Senior Director Murwarid Ziayee and Afghanistan-based activist Palwasha Hassan.