One of the prominent elements of Shahmama’s mission was the co-organization of the high-level side event:
“Afghanistan Five Years On — Gender Apartheid and Accountability: Protecting the Rights of Afghan Women and Girls”
on 25 September 2026 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The event was jointly organized by Shahmama, the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations, FARAGEER, and Women’s Rights First (WRF) and brought together United Nations officials, government representatives, diplomats, Afghan women’s rights leaders and advocates, and civil society representatives.
The event focused on the situation of the rights of Afghan women and girls, justice and accountability, and the need for effective international action.
For Shahmama, the significance of the event went beyond participation in a high-level gathering. As one of the co-organizers, Shahmama played a role in creating and shaping a high-level international space at United Nations Headquarters for discussion on Afghan women’s rights, justice, and accountability.
This was consistent with the mission’s broader approach: Afghan women should not only be present in international spaces; they should also have a role in creating, shaping, and leading the conversations that concern their rights and future.
Significance and Value of the Mission
The value of Shahmama’s UNGA 81 mission was not limited to a single event or a series of meetings. Its significance lay in bringing together multiple and complementary channels of advocacy within a focused five-day mission: direct engagement with country delegations, dialogue with United Nations entities and international institutions, participation in high-level spaces, engagement with civil society, strengthening relationships, and co-organizing a high-level event at United Nations Headquarters.
The mission provided an opportunity for Shahmama to advance a coherent set of priorities across multiple international spaces: justice and accountability; meaningful participation; strengthening women’s agency and leadership; support for women human rights defenders; and strengthening Afghan women-led organizations and networks.
The mission also demonstrated that the presence of Afghan women in international spaces has its greatest value when it moves beyond presence alone and contributes to direct advocacy, relationship-building, shaping conversations, and strengthening women’s capacity to influence.
Beyond UNGA 81
The New York mission was not the end of an activity, but part of Shahmama’s ongoing advocacy for the rights of Afghan women.
The engagements and relationships established or strengthened during High-Level Week provide a foundation for continued dialogue and follow-up with countries, United Nations entities, international institutions, and civil society partners.
Shahmama will continue to advocate for justice and accountability, the meaningful participation of women, and the strengthening of Afghan women’s agency and leadership, while emphasizing that Afghan women must be at the center of processes that affect their rights, lives, and future.
Core Message
Afghan women are not only asking to be heard; they are rights-holders, leaders, and agents of change. Strengthening their agency, supporting women’s leadership, and ensuring their meaningful and influential participation must be an essential part of any credible international approach to Afghanistan.