Week 6
We switched up the schedule a little bit this week. I got an email over the weekend from one of my supervisors asking me to take notes on a workshop that the U.S. Institute of Peace was hosting, and I was happy to jump on the opportunity. The workshop's focus was on amplifying human rights advocacy and women's rights reporting in Afghanistan. I spent the last six or so weeks digging into the histories of specific countries in Africa, and my previous knowledge was grounded in Latin America, so I was grateful to learn more about a country I wasn't particularly familiar with.
The meeting opened with a welcome from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan, and it was followed by various panelists who described their organizations, their current work, and the current human rights situation in Afghanistan. For those who aren't too familiar with the current political situation, the Taliban took over the government of Afghanistan in 2021, coinciding with the withdrawal of US troops from the country. Since then, the Taliban has issued well over 100 different edicts restricting civil liberties and, of note for this specific workshop, the rights of women and girls.
The majority of the people attending the workshop were women from Afghanistan who worked for women's rights groups or organizations that reported on human rights violations. Discussion focused on their work, especially on understanding how they document human rights violations in an ethical manner (e.g., the concept of doing no harm when taking down the reports of Afghan civilians). Representatives from the US government also provided their own advice on how to garner the support of political leaders and officials within the government; there are ways to draw attention to the issue and gain a political backing outside of Afghanistan.
Scattered between the multi-day workshops were conversations about the personal hardships that many of the women had fought through. Although it would be inappropriate of me to share specifics, I can say that one of the prevailing sentiments was the concern that no one was talking about Afghanistan anymore. The concern that many people felt about the Taliban takeover and its impact on civilians is not there anymore. There's plenty of conflict in the world right now, but we can't forget about the conflicts in the recent past. I am forever grateful that I was able to hear from these women directly, and I ask that anyone reading this remember the people in Afghanistan too.