Afghan women: fighting with hope

Since seizing control of Kabul and returning to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed the most comprehensive restrictions on women’s rights as part of a sequence of increasingly aggressive measures to enforce conservatism. Women and girls are now deprived of access to education, employment, public spaces and other fundamental liberties. The Taliban’s ban on girls attending school has now lasted for over 530 days, and their recent prohibition on women attending university has been in place for 70 days.

Marking International Women’s Day, this #CriticalThinkingLive discussion between Friends of Europe’s Dharmendra Kanani and  Zarifa Ghafari, Founder of Assistance and Promotion for Afghan Women (APAW) and former mayor of Maidan Shahr, focuses on the vital role that women play in Afghanistan to promote gender equality and human rights in a country that has been marred by conflict and instability.

This #CriticalThinkingLive aims to raise awareness about the importance of women’s empowerment, the need for continued support for Afghan women and the impact of the Taliban’s rule on women’s lives. Ghafari shares insights on how the international community can support Afghan women and protect their rights. Despite facing death threats and assassination attempts, Ghafari remains committed to serving her community and advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan. Sharing her journey of breaking barriers and making history, Ghafari discusses] her experiences as a trailblazing leader and offer insights on overcoming obstacles and creating change in challenging environments.

#CriticalThinkingLive is the latest expansion in our #CriticalThinking family, bringing influential voices from across a range of sectors to challenge, inspire and influence current thinking on the biggest issues facing Europe and the world.

This event is available to a wider audience via livestream. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook, and join the #CriticalThinkingLive discussion!

Related content:

• Feminist approaches can make failing food systems fit for the future: to feed everyone, we must include everyone! By Hannah Scheuermann and Birte Brecht-Drouart
• The oldest form of disinformation: narratives targeting women, by Chris Kremidas-Courtney
• Event report | State of Europe 2022

Our events include photos, audio and video recording that we might use for promotional purposes. By registering, you give your permission to use your image. Should you have any questions, please contact us.