Afghanistan

Though disallowed from the 2014 presidential race, Fawzia Koofi is optimistic about her political career in Afghanistan. Yet it is not clear what will happen to the state of women's rights before the next one.

Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous places anywhere in the world to be a woman, or to be a politician, and Fawzia Koofi, a deputy speaker of its national assembly, is both.

At least once a week, she receives a death threat from the Taliban or a warning from the security services about plots to assassinate her.

In the last presidential elections, women voters and MPs faced persecution, death threats and violence. With 2014’s elections drawing near, NATO Channel speaks to female MPs who discuss the real issues facing female voters.

Women’s rights have come a long way in the last 12 years in Afghanistan yet the struggle for emancipation is still in its infancy.

We invite you to read the full article published December 13, 2013

Afghan authorities should ensure a large number of women take part in next year’s make-or-break elections to prevent female voters being murdered and to safeguard transparency, Afghan human rights activist Sima Samar said on Tuesday.

“If one or two women go to a polling station, then it’s easy for the opposition to the government to identify the women and kill them, but if it’s thousands of women they cannot go behind every door and kill the people,” she said.

By John Kerry

On my many trips to Afghanistan as a senator and as secretary of state, I’ve met with a remarkable array of Afghan government officials, businesses people, development experts, diplomats, brave American troops and their courageous Afghan counterparts — all of whom have sacrificed for the promise of a safe, secure and sovereign Afghanistan.

Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State John Kerry and former First Lady Laura Bush on Friday said that as elections near in Afghanistan and U.S. troops continue to draw down, America must remain committed to the country during what they called a critical juncture.

Getting Afghan women voter cards has proven a challenge for the Independent Election Commission (IEC), which has made female turnout a top priority this election cycle, but southern Helmand province is said to be an especially challenging environment due to strict traditional values and the lack of female registration employees.

Hundreds of Paktia Province women October 23 rallied in Gardez to announce their intentions to actively participate in the upcoming elections next year.

"We will be voting for the candidates who could help us achieve our rights," civil society activist Anar Gula said.

Women's participation in the electoral process has increased in Afghanistan recently.

We invite our users to read the full article published October 24, 2013

One evening, in a conversation with a group of impressive Afghan women activists in Kabul, the first participant started the conversation by making a simple but profound statement. She said, “Stop looking at us as victims, and look at us as the leaders that we are.” She was right. All too often when we look at women struggling for their rights in Afghanistan, we see them solely as victims. To be sure, many have been victimized, but they are also on the front lines of progress, working to create a better future for their country.