The situation in Afghanistan for women and girls remains dire, characterized by systemic discrimination and pervasive human rights abuses, further exacerbated by the recent adoption of the so-called “Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice” Law. The grim reality for women and girls in Afghanistan is also starkly outlined in the Afghanistan Gender Country Profile, developed by UN Women with the financial support of the European Union (released in June 2024), which detailed a comprehensive regression in the rights and freedoms hard won by Afghan women, highlighted by the total eradication of women from public life and the rollback of rights to education and employment. Taken together, these reports paint a bleak and urgent picture of the current gender landscape in Afghanistan. Along with longitudinal survey data from inside Afghanistan, this provides indisputable evidence of the situation for women and girls and predicts alarming short- and long-term outcomes.

Against the backdrop of competing international political priorities, attention to Afghanistan's gender issues has been sustained through various high-level initiatives, including the Special Coordinator’s Assessment published in December 2023 and a series of meetings in Doha with Member States and Afghan civil society and, separately, the de facto authorities. Afghan women’s rights activists have been campaigning to ensure that gender equality remains a central focus of – and, critically, that they have a seat in – all international forums discussing Afghanistan. This demand is not new. Afghan women were excluded from 80 per cent of peace negotiations from 2005 to 2020.[1]

In the face of global threats to women’s rights and inclusive democracies, these efforts take on profound importance. As the decline in gender equality continues to be documented – though perhaps not widely broadcast – the international community faces a crucial challenge. After three years of steady and alarming decline, what approaches can Member States take to restore and expand Afghan women’s rights?

Closed-door side-event

This event, through a hybrid session (1.5 hours), will discuss the approaches of the international community to the gender equality crisis in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021 until today. The panel will address how the international community is approaching these issues in various policy forums and will detail concrete steps needed to improve the lives of Afghan women and girls.

Guiding questions for 3 panelists

1. How can the international community ensure the voices and perspectives of Afghan women are being heard and included in decision-making forums? 
2. How can the international community continue to support Afghan women and girls and women’s organizations operating in Afghanistan?
3. How can the international community best protect, and expand, Afghan women’s right to work and their equal participation in social and economic life in Afghanistan? 

Programme

1. Opening remarks (15 minutes):

• Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships of the European Union (7 to 8 minutes)
• Ms Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director UN Women for Normative Support, UN System Coordination and Programme Results (7 to 8 minutes)

2. Panel discussion (30 mins)
   • Moderator: Ms Adela Raz, former Afghan Representative at the UN and Ambassador in US

• Ms. Habiba Sarabi, former Governor of Bayman Province and former Minister of Women’s Affairs for Afghanistan.
• Ms. Zuhra Bahman, Country Director of Search for Common Ground
• Ms Hamida Aman, Entrepreneur, Journalist and founder of Begum Organization for Women

3. Exchange with Member States and Q&A (closed session - 35 mins)

4. Concluding remarks: (10 mins)

• M. Mohamed Khaled Khiari, United National Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific

Kindly note that discussions will be held in English.

[1] Oxfam. 2021. "Leading the Way": Women driving peace and security in Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Yemen. Oxfam Briefing Paper. January 2021.