In a powerful demonstration of solidarity, 68 regional and international organizations and 38 individuals, including journalists, activists, professors, and human rights advocates, have united to demand the release of Afghan WHRDs Neda Parwani, Zholia Parsi, and, Manizha Sediqi, who were forcibly taken by the Taliban in the past month. This collective effort underscores our commitment to protecting and securing the fundamental rights of these courageous women.
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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.
Signatories
- Afghan Canadian House of Culture
- Afghan Women Justice Movement
- Afghan Women’s Revolution Movement
- Afghanistan Women’s Justice Movement
- Afghanistan Women’s New Thought Movement
- Afghanistan Women’s Revolution
- Alternatives Links for Training and Development
- Anethum Global
- AREU
- ArtLords
- AWID
- Bent El Nile
- Bibliotheek
- Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA)
- Center for the Projection of Afghan Women Journalists
- Civil Society Association
- Civil Society Development and Growth Organization (CSDGO)
- Dare organization
- Defence Foundation for Rights and Freedoms
- Doria Feminist Fund
- Droit Des Femmes
- ECW
- Equality Now
- Farkhunda News And Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom
- Femena
- Feminine Perspective Campaign
- FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
- Genocide Watch
- Green Home
- HRD+
- Pen Path Education Society
- Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras)
- International Action Network for Gender Equity & Law (IANGEL)
- International Service for Human Rights
- Iran- SAed Rahnavard
- Justice Movement To End Gender Apartheid
- Kaboof
- Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva (KMMK-G)
- Kurdpa Human Rights Organization
- Leila Hessini Strategies
- Miaan
- Movement of Women to Awareness
- MOWA
- Nazra for Feminist Studies
- NRF Women- Afghanistan
- PEN America
- Powerful Women’s Movement in Afghanistan
- Qarar foundation for Media and development
- Salam
- Sisterhood and Solidarity Inc
- South Asian Women’s Community Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Spontaneous Movement of Protesting Women of Afghanistan
- Syrian Feminist Lobby
- Takatoat
- The Regional Coalition for WHRDs in SWANA (also known as WHRDMENA)
- Training Human Rights Association for Afghan Women (THRA)
- Unity and Solidarity of Afghan Women
- WHRDS
- WLUML
- Women and Children Research and Advocacy Network
- Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
- Women Participation Promotion Organization
- Women Strijders
- Women’s Movement Towards Freedom
- Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WOREC) Nepal
- World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
- جنبش رفاه و عدالت برای زنان
- جنبش زنان عدالتخواه افغانستان
Individual signatories
- Abida Jabarzai
- Ali-AkbarMousavi, Postdoc Research Fellow
- Asma Khalifa, Human Rights Activist
- Aziz Khurasani
- Batool Haidari, University Professor
- Claire Rimmer
- Faiza Mohseni, Pedagogist
- Farid Barzgar, Poet and Peace Activist
- Farida Safi, Journalist and Activist
- Fatema D. Ahmadi, Consultant
- Fatima Mohammadi, Activist
- Hakima Kouhyar
- Hossein Raeesi, Adjunct Professor /Human Rights Lawyer
- Joyce Shanahan, Strategic Advisor
- Kristina Stockwood
- Latifa Ahmadi, Activist
- Mahdieh Golroo, Feminist and Human Right activist
- Mitra Ayari
- Mona Tajali
- Moni Alavi, Lawyer
- Nadima Farani
- Nayereh Tohidi, Professor Emerita
- Niki Akhavan, Associate Professor
- Palwasha Paiwandi, Human Rights Advocate
- Razan ALMoghrabi
- Sahar
- Ben Hazem
- Sakina Hassani, Student
- Sawssan Abou-Zahr, Journalist
- Sina Toossi, Policy and Editorial Advisor
- Somayeh Rashidi, Social Worker
- Sourget Claire
- Stephanie Farrior, Professor of International Law (retired)
- Storay Darwazy, Activist
- Waheza Kakar, Activist
- Weam Shawgi Hassan
- Wida Saghary, Journalist
- Zia Moballegh
