The third panel of the conference“For Freedom: Global Solidarity with the Struggles of Women in Afghanistan” was titled “Justice and Accountability” and was moderated by Ms. Meera Nayak, Director of the Center for Human Rights Advocacy.
1- Ms. Bandana Rana, Member and Former Vice Chair – of the UN CEDAW Committee, provided detailed updates on the upcoming review of Afghanistan, including how the Committee will express concerns and offer the opportunity for updates. She discussed what meaningful next steps would look like, including how recommendations for all actors in the international community will be reflected in their concluding observations.
2- Ms. Nazila Jamshedi, Social Justice Professional, described in detail what survivor-centred justice and accountability could mean for Afghanistan’s women and girls, and how we may all support that approach and ensure it informs and guides each avenue.
3- Ms. Elahah, a brave survivor, brought a vital perspective as someone who has experienced and witnessed the harsh realities Afghanistan’s women continue to face. She conveyed critical messages to the international community about the current situation of Afghanistan’s women and how their support could be more responsive to the needs and voices of survivors.
4- Ms. Raquel Saavedra, International Legal Advisor with the Global Accountability Initiative at the ICJ, detailed the costs of losing evidence each day for accountability efforts and the critical need for States to ensure the establishment of a gender responsive independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan without any further delay.
5- Ms. Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan Researcher at Human Rights Watch discussed the need for a mechanism to complement the special procedures, the OHCHR and UNAMA while also supporting accountability before the ICJ, ICC, national courts and future justice processes. She underlined the urgency of action as she described in detail how the situation of women and girls continues to deteriorate.
This panel of powerful women outlined a clear path forward to mobilise efforts to advance survivor-centred justice and accountability for human rights violations and abuses against Afghanistan’s women.