Afganistan
“The message from the women of Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan is clear: help them lead their own narrative for a change in their country. Second, to the feminist foreign policy ministers, to the Muslim majority countries, to every man and woman with a good heart, with a heart that believes the world should be a better place, their message is: make these international accountability mechanisms work. Codify some of the issues that are recent: gender apartheid is a recent phenomenon in Afghanistan. Apartheid is not, but gender apartheid is. For us, gender apartheid is even not a political term. It’s a reality. That’s why I said we fight for peace. We fight for coexistence.”
Fawzia Koofi was the first Woman Deputy Speaker of Parliament in Afghanistan who as dedicated her life to promote human rights in her country. She was one of the four women members of the peace negotiation delegation with Taliban in Doha Qatar in 2020 and has written a number of books and led several movements and coalitions promoting education, development, governance and rule of law.
Fawzia Koofi is from Afghanistan. First female vice-president of the former Afghan Parliament (former Chair of Women Affairs Commission Parliament), favored nominee for Nobel Peace Prize and one of the four women members of the peace negotiation delegation with Taliban in Doha Qatar in 2020, author of the books “Letters to my daughters” and “The Favored Daughter, human rights and women’s rights activist. Ms. Koofi is former Presidential fellow with Florida International University (FIU) and senior fellow with National Endowment for Democracy (NED). She has founded and launched initiatives in Afghanistan including JEAO; Afghan women led non-profit and non-governmental organization promoting education, development, governance and rule of law through project design and management in Afghanistan. Between 2001 and 2005, she worked with UNICEF for promoting children rights and managing the Child Soldier Disarmament and Reintegration project. She has led the campaign “Back to school” through which thousands of students were sent back to schools after the fall of Taliban in 2001. Recently she has been part of establishing several movements and coalitions including Afghan Women coalition for Change and Women Leaders Forum. She is the President of Women for Afghanistan.