Afghanistan & Iran Cut Women’s Rights

In a powerful testament of courage and determination, Nilofar Ayoubi, a distinguished journalist, women's rights, and human rights defender from Afghanistan, has passionately addressed the dire situation faced by Afghan women . Formerly a leader of the women's movement and the Women Political Participation Network, Ayoubi recounted the network's bold protests on Kabul streets post-August 15, opposing the oppressive laws enforced by the Taliban.

Ayoubi painted a grim picture of Afghanistan where women are systematically erased from public spaces. With a staggering 888 days since girls were allowed to attend school beyond grade six, women in Afghanistan find themselves erased from the economy and public services in 2024. Forced into traditional roles, their contributions as doctors, engineers, journalists, activists, and entrepreneurs are minimised. Young girls face a bleak future, confined within four walls, often forced into early marriages at ages 15 and 16.

Aligned with the call made by WLC President Masih Alinejad and influential figures like Ms. Hillary Clinton, Ayoubi urged world leaders to take immediate action. Her plea centers on the urgent need for the classification, codification, and recognition of gender apartheid affecting women in Iran and Afghanistan. Reminding global leaders of their previous failure, Ayoubi implored them to not repeat it.

She also mentions that, as a woman hailing from Afghanistan and Iran, the struggles faced by individuals like her extend beyond borders, marked by imprisonment, lashings, rape, blindness, and execution, all in the pursuit of freedom, equality, and dignity. Under the oppressive rule of the Taliban and the Islamic regime in Iran, the mere act of being a woman is unjustly perceived as a crime.

On International Women's Day, Ayoubi and her fellow sisters stand firm and united, resilient against the gender apartheid that casts a dark shadow on their lives. Despite enduring constant terror, they are determined to share their stories, shedding light on the daily atrocities they face. Their collective goal is to inspire the free world to join them in their impassioned call to criminalise gender apartheid.

This International Women's Day message was shared on Twitter, amplifying the rallying cry for justice, recognition, and solidarity.