On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Shahmama organized a virtual X Space session on March 8, 2025, titled “Afghan Women: Struggle for Survival and Equality.” This session featured Farrokh Laqa Enchizadeh, a human rights activist, and Sanga Siddiqi, a lawyer, who discussed the situation of Afghan women, the legal challenges they face, and international efforts to support their rights.
Assessment of the Situation of Afghan Women
During the discussion, the speakers addressed the systematic oppression of women in Afghanistan and analyzed the severe restrictions imposed on their right to education, employment, and social participation. They emphasized that the widespread and organized violations of women’s rights in Afghanistan, particularly following the fall of the government in 2021, constitute crimes against humanity and require urgent and effective international action.
Legal Measures and International Advocacy
Another key focus of the session was the legal mechanisms available at the international level to hold perpetrators accountable. The experts highlighted legal strategies to seek justice and stressed the importance of documenting violations and submitting evidence to international bodies. The discussed mechanisms included:
• Filing complaints with UN human rights bodies: Submitting documented reports to the UN Human Rights Council, special rapporteurs, and other human rights mechanisms.
• Referring cases to the International Criminal Court (ICC): Exploring the possibility of prosecuting crimes against Afghan women as war crimes and crimes against humanity before the ICC.
• Utilizing regional and national human rights mechanisms: Leveraging protective legal frameworks in various countries to support refugees and victims of human rights violations.
• Pressuring governments and international organizations: Encouraging states to adopt effective policies toward Afghanistan’s crisis and impose targeted sanctions on perpetrators of women’s rights violations.
Conclusion and Continued Efforts
Shahmama’s X Space session on International Women’s Day provided a platform to assess current challenges and propose concrete solutions to support Afghan women. Shahmama remains committed to its mission of documenting violations, advocating in international forums, and empowering Afghan women in their fight for justice and equality.
This session marked another step in the collective efforts to amplify the voices of Afghan women globally and ensure justice for them.
