Inclusive peace in Afghanistan means ‘women at the centre’, urges UN deputy chief in Kabul

Date: Sunday, July 21, 2019

The UN deputy chief issued an impassioned plea on Sunday for Afghans to reconcile with the past and put “women at the centre” of all efforts to forge a durable peace, and a truly inclusive political process where women’s voices are truly heard.

#HearMeToo: Afghan women, the faces of change

Date: Friday, November 9, 2018

The Women’s Protection Centre is part of a network of 11 shelters in nine provinces across Afghanistan. They have offered refuge to more than 1,600 survivors of gender-based violence this year, along with a combination of medical, legal and psychosocial services, and skills training so that women can restart their lives. Family Guidance Centres in five provinces offer mediation support, where lawyers, social workers and others engage with women who remain in their communities without facing any imminent risks.

In the words of Justice Anisa Rasooli: “Not all women in Afghanistan are women in blue burqas begging…we can be the best engineers, doctors, judges, teachers”

Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Justice Anisa Rasooli was recently appointed as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. She has been a powerful advocate for bringing more women into judicial positions, including as a leader of the Afghan Women Judges Association.

In the words of Halima Askari: “Our victory is our unity”

Date: Friday, November 2, 2018

Halima Askari became the first woman head of the Provincial Council in Afghanistan’s conservative Wardak province in 2017. She is part of a new generation of women leaders who, little by little, are pushing for the transformation of governance. She ran for national Parliament this year and is awaiting the results. Regardless of the election results, Askari is determined to continue serving her community and advocating for girls’ and women’s education. Having attended UN Women-supported leadership and management training, in a recent interview she talked about what it means to be a woman in politics in Afghanistan. UN Women’s political participation programme in Afghanistan was made possible by funding from the governments of Iceland, Sweden and Norway.

In the words of Nabila Musleh: “Women and men must benefit equally from government funding, instead of one benefitting at the cost of the other”

Date: Monday, September 10, 2018

Nabila Musleh, Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, has worked to promote gender equality, women’s empowerment and human rights in Afghanistan for more than 10 years. From 11-16 August, Ms. Musleh joined 32 other senior government officials for a visit to Indonesia to learn about their gender-responsive budgeting experience.

In the words of Deeba Ayubi: “I am fighting a good fight and it's worth the sacrifice.”

Date: Monday, May 21, 2018

Deeba Ayubi, 27, is a women’s rights activist and defense lawyer with UN Women’s partner organization, Women for Afghan Women (WAW), which protects and supports survivors of violence. Ayubi is passionate about helping women and girls achieve a life free from all forms of violence and dreams of becoming a judge.

UN Women Executive Director at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan

Date: Monday, October 3, 2016

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will be in Brussels, Belgium on 4-5 October, to participate at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, putting the spotlight on the importance of the social and the economic empowerment of women to achieve lasting and inclusive development in the country.

Unlocking the potential of Afghan women

Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2016

The path to economic empowerment for Afghan women remains riddled with discrimination, violence and unequal access to opportunities. The biggest hurdle in front of them are negative perceptions and stereotypes. A programme by UN Women provides skills training and internship opportunities to young women graduates to kick-start their careers.

Coverage: UN Women Executive Director in Afghanistan

Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2016

From 18-21 July, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka met with high-level government officials, civil society organizations, partners, donors and women survivors of violence during her first official visit to Afghanistan. Women’s participation in peace and security processes, and ending violence against women were topics high on the agenda for discussions.

From where I stand: Khalida Popal

Date: Monday, July 25, 2016

Khalida Popal made history by becoming the first female captain of the Afghan National Football team in 2007.

Starting a career saving lives during childbirth

Date: Thursday, July 14, 2016

Rayhan Alem, 22-year-old native of Badakhsan Province in Afghanistan’s far northeast, has wanted to be a midwife since she was a teenager and a neighbor died giving birth. Now, she is preparing for her career by doing an internship at Ali Seena Hospital in Kabul, with the support of UN Women.

From where I stand: Atefe Mansoori

Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Atefe Mansoori, 52, from Afghanistan, is Director of Abdullah Muslim Company, which processes and exports saffron. She is among 120 female entrepreneurs and businesswomen from across Afghanistan who gathered to share stories and learn from each other at a workshop organized by UN Women in Kabul in December 2015.

Press statement: UN condemns public lynching and burning of mentally ill woman

Date: Friday, March 20, 2015

KABUL, 20 March 2015 – The United Nations condemns, in the strongest terms, the brutal killing and burning of a 27 year old mentally ill woman.

Op-ed: Afghan Women’s Voices in Elections: Changing the Game

Date: Sunday, April 6, 2014

Opinion piece by the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

“Like a Bird with Broken Wings”: new report from Afghanistan

Date: Tuesday, December 24, 2013

UN Women Report chronicles stories of violence suffered by Afghan women through the decades of conflict.

“What do the MDGs mean to me?” Girls and women speak from their own experiences at the Stakeholder’s Forum

Date: Friday, December 6, 2013

A civil society panel organized by UN Women brought together voices of women and girls from different parts of the world and across a broad age spectrum to assess the relevance of the current UN Millennium Development Goals to their lives, identify glaring gaps and present their aspirations for the future development agenda.

In Afghanistan it is critical to sustain and deepen women’s rights, says UN Women official

Date: Monday, October 28, 2013

During his first visit to Afghanistan from 4-7 October, UN Women Deputy Executive Director John Hendra met with several national and international officials as well as civil society representatives to discuss advancing women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality in Afghanistan.

#AskUNWomen Twitter chat with Deputy Executive Director John Hendra about his recent trip to Afghanistan

Date: Friday, October 25, 2013

To discuss the situation of women in Afghanistan, UN Women is holding a Twitter chat on Monday, 28 October 2013, 10am EDT.

Preventing and ending violence against women is at the heart of UN Women’s mission: John Hendra

Date: Friday, October 18, 2013

Remarks by UN Women Deputy Executive Director John Hendra at a High-level Panel discussion on Taking Action against the Gender-related Killings of Women and Girls, on 18 October, 2013, in New York

Women's inclusion in peace process critical for successful transition in Afghanistan: John Hendra

Date: Monday, October 7, 2013

UN Women Deputy Executive Director John Hendra speaks at an International Conference on Women, Peace and Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kabul, on 5 October 2013