Women in Peace

March 3, 2023

Women in Peace - an initiative that depicts the obstacles and problems faced by Afghan women daily such as limited access to education and employment opportunities.

On March 2nd, the Development Office of AUCA held an event dedicated to gender inequality and the marginalisation of women in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Access to education and equal employment opportunities have always been among the most important problems faced by women in the world, including in Afghanistan.  In addition to these problems, Afghan women are limited in their participation in political and civic activism.  Constant changes in the political regime and patriarchal traditions restrict the rights and freedoms of Afghan women, adding to them the problems of forced marriage and domestic violence.

In Central Asia, although the situation varies from country to country, women also often face discrimination in the workplace and limited opportunities for education and political participation. In addition, traditional patriarchal attitudes and cultural practices can exacerbate these issues, making it difficult for women to gain equal rights and access to resources.

Students and researchers from different parts of the world made presentations at the event, discussing the situation from an academic point of view. The first part of the program is devoted to a panel discussion on "Education in Afghanistan after 2001: Evolution and Rollbacks", which examined the topic from an academic point of view. On the one hand, this will solve the problem of limited access of Afghan women to education.

On the other hand, it examined how education changed under the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and how it declined during the second term of Taliban rule.

The panel discussions seek to bring together academics, activists, policymakers, and Afghan junior scholars and students to debate and raise awareness about women's access to education in Afghanistan. This may inspire public support for initiatives to improve women's access to education.

In addition to discussions, honorary guests from various organizations spoke at the event. One of them was Ulziisuren Jamsran, UN Women's Representative in Kyrgyzstan. Her speech was dedicated to the constant competing challenges and crises that the world faces nowadays, preventing conflicts and resolutions in particular. The constant work and engagement of communities were also mentioned in her speech. The efforts, activities, and discussions that establish safe spaces for women and young girls, as well as what further may be done to improve the situation and assist Afghan women in securing the respect of their fundamental rights were the main topics of the speech.

The last part of the event was an exhibition of works of photographs and art exhibitions of activists dedicated to the women of Afghanistan. Cultural exhibitions can be a powerful tool for promoting gender equality and the role of women in developing a peaceful society. It aims to highlight the work of female photographers and artists, as well as to elevate awareness of issues concerning women's rights and representation.

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