On International Women’s Day, a group of Afghan women protesters in Pakistan issued a resolution calling on the international community and global institutions to support Afghan women and refugees.
The women highlighted that since recent developments in Afghanistan, they have been denied education, work, freedom of expression, and societal participation, facing one of the world’s most severe human rights and humanitarian crises. They demanded increased international pressure to lift educational, occupational, and social restrictions on Afghan women and stressed the need to refer violations of women’s rights to international judicial bodies.
The protesters also described the plight of Afghan refugee women in Pakistan as critical, urging the global community to expedite refugee case processing. They called on host countries to prevent forced deportations and ensure access to basic rights like healthcare, education, and employment.
Raheel Talash, an organizer of the gathering in Pakistan, stated:
“Afghan women have no security in our own country or in exile. We’re oppressed in Afghanistan and left in limbo in migration. If the world truly believes in equality and women’s rights, it must act to save us. They can’t preach equality while staying silent on our fate.”
The resolution noted that Afghan women view March 8 not as a celebration but as a day of struggle and advocacy. They vowed to continue fighting for their rights, whether in Afghanistan or exile, and expect the international community to stand with them in this effort.
