Human Rights Watch criticized the absence of Afghan women at the International Women of Courage Award Ceremony. Heather Barr, Associate Director of the Women’s Rights Division at HRW, said that she was “quite a shock to find that this year when the US government gave out its international women of courage awards there were no Afghan women included.”
“In past years, Afghan women have often been recipients of this award. And it feels like a message from the US government in this year when Afghan women have suffered so much and so many of them have been so brave, particularly women who have come out and protested against Taliban violation of women’s rights. It seems to convey a message that the US has completely disengaged and is no longer interested in protecting human rights in Afghanistan…” she told TOLOnews.
The US Department of State hosted the 16th International Women of Courage Award Ceremony when?
Women from South Africa, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Myanmar won the International Women of Courage Award.
The US envoy for Afghan humanitarian and women’s affairs, Rina Amiri, said despite the unimaginable challenges Afghan women have confronted, “they are all women of courage and must be engaged as leaders and not as victims.”
“Women are the entry point of inclusion everywhere and without inclusion of Afghans and diversity, the country will descend into further conflict,” Amiri said at the International Women of Courage Awards. The women’s rights defenders called on the international community to not forget Afghan women.
“Considering the current situation of the Afghan women, there are no braver women than the Afghan women in the world,” said Monisa Mubariz, a women’s rights activist. This comes as the European Union in a statement urged the UN to consider the situation of the Afghan women.—Tolonews
