Message- Elahe Amani WIN President

Greeting from Southern California, I cannot believe we are entering July and uncovering the veil of a new normal after fifteen months. It was a period of many challenges including but not limited to the concerns for the health of family and friends, those who lost their jobs during the hard-hit months of 2020-21, unpredictability, and an overload of virtual meetings in “Zoom land.” It was an intense physical and emotional period of our lives. Now, we seek to re-energize ourselves as we push forward, leaving the last fifteen months in the rearview mirror! 

As the new president of WIN, elected in January 2021, I would like to share my thoughts, hopes, inspiration, and a bit of my history with WIN.  First and foremost, I am honored and excited to work with the current board of WIN. The harmony, commitment, and synergy of the board makes me believe that together we will make change possible, connect women and girls across cultures and assure that all women and girl’s voices are heard in public forums for full participation in their governments, societies, and economies.  

My history with WIN commenced when I attended the Beijing Women Conference, much awaited for a decade as I missed the third International Women Conference in Nairobi due to illness of a loved one. On our long flight from San Francisco to Shanghai, China, along with more than seventy other women and girls from the Bay Area of California, I met Marilyn Fowler, the founder of WIN. After the Beijing Women Conference, Marylin and I stayed in touch.  As an active member of WIN, located in southern California, I was an advocate for “Bringing Beijing Home.” Through this initiative, I shared the lessons learned and my experiences not only at various campuses of California State University but also with ESL classes in downtown LA.  Along with community activism, I taught in the Women Studies Programs of CSU, two of my beloved courses, “Global Women’s Movement” and “Women in Cross-Cultural Perspectives.” With my students, in these courses, we examined, reflected upon, and unpacked UN Women’s Conferences, “The Beijing Platform for Action,” and “Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies.”   

As Chair and President of the Commission on the Status of Women at California State University Long Beach, and WIN board member,  I presented at the majority of the CSW NGO forums since 1995 along with other regional conferences including the first (1998) post-Beijing Latin America conference in Cuba.    Being an active part of WIN during conversations about : 1)establishing “Circles”, the “ Cities for CEDAW ” national campaign; 2) hosting Uganda delegation, being part of the WIN grassroots delegation to Afghanistan; 3) working closing with Afghan Women Network to select a delegation from Afghanistan women to visit California; and 4) having an all-day event, hosting the delegation from Afghanistan by (RIP) President Gordon of California State University Fullerton. These are but a few of many other memories weaved into my life during the last 26 years, which makes WIN an important part of my life and identity.  

As a women’s human rights advocate, CEDAW, The Bill of Rights of Women and Girls was important to me even before my path crossed WIN. I learned about CEDAW in 1984 as a result of an introduction to (RIP) Billi Heller, the founding member and chair of the national committee on the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. So, clearly, when the Cities for CEDAW campaign was coined by the collaboration of the SF Commission on the Status of Women and WIN in 2013 at one of the informal gatherings of CSW, it was dear and near to my heart.

So here we are, in June of 2021, I am honored to serve an organization that I have been serving in different capacities in the last 26 years, I am committed to do what is needed to unmask the talents, commitments to gender equality, justice, and the creativity of the global network of WIN to make a meaningful, positive, impactful difference for women and girls.    

Now is the time that with collaboration and coalition-building we join efforts to ratify CEDAW locally and at the national level and ensure that the rights and dignity of every woman and girl are honored and protected. As the past chair of Global Circles of WIN, the goal of reinvigorating the circles of WIN and forming new circles is still at the heart of WIN.  

My goal with the post-pandemic of WIN is to continue to offer quality and diverse programming that helps the interest and needs of our members and WIN community. The quarterly newsletter will keep the community of WIN informed of the latest events and updates about our community organizing and CEDAW efforts at local, national, and global levels. As a mediator, I also value collaboration and coalition building amongst civil society entities that are striving to accomplish gender equality and justice, locally and globally.  

CEDAW and The Commission of Women and Girls in Long Beach, CA

Elahe Amani

The Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW ) which is also called the Bill of Rights for Women and Girls is an International convention that as of June of 2023, six countries Iran, US, Sudan, Somalia Palau & Tonga have not ratified it yet. Cities for CEDAW is a campaign to protect the rights of women and girls by passing ordinances establishing the principles of CEDAW in cities and towns across the United States. The campaign was launched at a meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in 2013 by the Women’s Intercultural Network ( WIN ) .  Many Cities including San Francisco and Los Angeles have already passed an ordinance or resolution for CEDAW.   The Iranian Circle of WIN ( ICWIN ) members embarked on passing CEDAW resolution at the City of Long Beach in 2014 and thanks to Nazanin Amani who worked closely with Suzie Price, City council member on March 1^st 2016, The City Council  of Long Beach adopted Resolution  in support of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Members of the chapter of National Organization of Women ( NOW ) and American Association of University Women also supported and were present at the City Council of Long Beach when the resolution passed.   

ICWIN members and other gender equality advocates of the City of Long Beach, at City Council – January 1, 2016

The experience in SF, LA, and other cities has proven that Women’s Commissions are the backbone of any ordinance on CEDAW.  So the idea of establishing a women’s commission was formed.   Elahe Amani,  Chair of the Global Circles of WIN and resident of the City of Long Beach along with other gender equality advocates in Long Beach embarked on the journey to establish a Commission of Women.  The collective efforts led by  by Activist, author and speaker, Zoe Nicholson.  

On January 10^th 2022, the Memorandum of the City of Long Beach stated “ According to reports from the Office of Equity, among all full-time workers in Long Beach, White men earn nearly twice as much as Latina women1, and 63 percent of Black women heads of household are considered rent-burdened, compared to 52 percent of White women heads of household. A Commission on Women and Girls in Long Beach can serve as a space for specific education, outreach, and advocacy in our community for the advancement of women and girls in pursuit of the elimination of gender-based inequities. In addition to the California State Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG), there are 25 women’s commissions in cities and counties throughout California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Marin, and San Joaquin Counties. Cities including San Francisco, Pasadena, Glendale, and others have also established Commissions to advise their city Councils on the needs and concerns of women of all ages, races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Women’s Commissions promote gender equity and the empowerment of women in their communities. In California and across the country, Women’s Commissions are utilized to gain an understanding of the issues affecting women and girls in their communities and work to uplift and advocate for these issues. These Commissions have led initiatives targeting issues affecting women and girls like domestic violence, poverty, pay equity, incarceration, and economic advancement. In municipalities with Women’s Commissions, they serve an important role in advocating for issues and leading policy priorities affecting women. Ultimately, Women’s Commissions listen and learn from their community and ensure local women’s experiences guide their policy choice. “

On July 18th, 2023 the Women’s Fair + ERA Centennial celebration was organized in the City of Long Beach. Members of ICWIN were actively present and tabling and the event was sponsored by the Women’s Intercultural Network ( WIN ). The first agenda on the City Council session on July 18th was establishing a Women and Girls Commission. After decades of advocacy, and seven years after adaptation of CEDAW Resolution, the City Council formally established a new Commission on Women and Girls and marked a historic moment for Long Beach. And to make it even more poignant, July 18, vote coincided with the 100th anniversary of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment being introduced to Congress for the first time.
The idea of a women’s commission was first introduced by former Long Beach City Councilwoman Renee Simon — a longtime women’s rights advocate and just the second woman in the city’s history elected to the council. She attended the first UN women’s conference in Mexico City in 1975. She came back to Long Beach and asked her all-male colleagues to establish a women’s commission, but it was essentially dead on arrival.
Forty eight years later, on July 18th, Renee Simon attended the City Council session that voted unanimously to establish the Women and Girls Commission.
We all keep moving forward and never turning back!

Elahe & Renee Simon

ICWIN members and supporters at the Women’s Fair – Long Beach

Women’s Daily Resistance in Iran

Ruja Kia’s Perspective – WIN Women Equality Day, August 2023

“In democratic countries, the basic strategy for achieving equality has been the formation of strong movements consisting of women activists who collectively fight for equal rights.” But in religious authoritarian countries, this is not possible for women.

Some believe that in a “non-organizational and non-coherent activity” that maybe called a “new social movements” in Iran, women are using everyday resistance to challenge rules that attempt to control their lives and bodies since the first days of the government of the Islamic Republic inside Iran.

The past year in Iran we have witnessed residence in forms of protests in response to the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini, and the governmental crackdowns to control the oppositions has been, and continues to be strong.

The resistance to this oppression has also been strong. The pushback against the Iranian regime has not been limited to rallys in the streets, or to a specific demographic or geographic area.

In the following slides we will look over examples of actions and individuals have used daily activities as a for of resilience. The actions of women inside Iran are not limited to individuals named, but expand across entirety of the Iranian society, in streets and in homes. Expanding the public and the private spaces.

We have witnessed children as young as elementary school removing their scarves and chanting

Women, Life, Freedom

Mahroo Ahmadi

Her father Ahmad Reza Ahmadi recently passed. Against what is customary, she carried her father’s coffin on her shoulders as she walked without compulsory hijab.

Against attempts to stop her from speaking she stood behind the podium and spoke about her father:

“My father never ate the bread of politics, but he wrote the most political poems.”

Mahoor Ahmadi also revealed that her father was forced to retire from his position at the Center for the Intellectual Development of Children and Adolescents. 

Zeinab Zaman

An Iranian feminist who was arrested as she was tending to her ill father. Zeinab was one of the women who cut her hair in opposition to Jina’s murder. She attended her father’s funeral without compulsory hijab.

Sepideh Gholian

Iranian labor rights activist Sepideh Gholian was removed from a court during a public session of her trial because she refused to accept a judge’s order to wear a “chador,” a traditional full-body cloak that leaves only the face exposed.

The judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency said Gholian entered the court on July 19 with a “very small” piece of cloth on her head, which she later removed, prompting the judge to order her removal.

Gilan

Activists visit Romina Ashrafi’s gravesite (Video 2)

Romina Ashrafi ran away from home in Gilan province with her 35-year-old boyfriend after her father objected to their marriage, local media said.

The pair were found by police and Romina was sent home despite reportedly telling them she feared for her life.

She was attacked by her father in her bedroom and murdered.

In support of mothers who have lost their children flyers were dropped across town.

As we get closer to the anniversary of Jina’s murder in September, we have witnessed new crackdowns and arrest of women across fields, Social activists, Political activists, Civil activists, as well as Journalists, Lawyers, University professors and Influencers.

Just recently In a span of one day we witnessed the arrest of multiple women activists in Iran.

Yasamin Hashdary, Negin Rezaei, Jelveh Javaheri, Zahra Dardas and her sister Zohreh Dardas, Forough Sami Nia, Matin Yazdani were arrested this week.

Azerbaijan

The women environmental activists in the province of Azerbaijan, Iran have been working  over the past 8 years to inform the public of the dangers to and the drying up of Lake Urmia in Iran.

Holding multiple protests and informational seminars as well as demonstrations.

Faranak Farid one of the leading activists was arrested and faced torture.

Negar Khiavi and Roghaye Kabiri writers and poets, became the “voice of this vast body of water that needed help to live.”

They have been called in to report themselves to governmental proceedings.

Celebrities

Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, two famous Iranian actresses, were arrested by authorities for expressing solidarity with protesters on social media.

Taraneh Alidoosti, was arrested after she urged people to speak out after the execution of a man involved in nationwide demonstrations.

Katayoun Riahi and Pantea Bahram, faced legal action after they made public appearances without wearing the mandatory hijab.

Riahi, alongside actresses Golab Adineh and Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, appeared without a mandatory hijab, or head scarf, at a public funeral ceremony on April 18. 

Pantea Bahram, has made several public appearances without a mandatory hijab, including at a screening of the last episode of the Iranian television series The Lion Skin at Tehran’s Lotus Cinema on April 19. Following the event, the director of the Lotus cinema was dismissed and the cinema was closed for two days.

Elahe Mohammadi

Elahe Mohammadi- a journalist arrested for her coverage of the news of Jina Mahsa Amini’s murder, read a statement during her closed court proceedings 

Elahe Mohammadi emphasized: “I have had no connection with any foreign government and I am proud to have stayed with the people to be their voice.”

This imprisoned journalist criticized security pressures against journalists and said that instead of imprisoning journalists and leaving them undecided, government agencies in Iran should listen to people’s words.

She said: “Nilofar Hamedi and I are being tried as representatives of the suffering and honorable body of the Iranian press while the authority of the media has been transferred abroad due to the security encounters with honest and committed journalists, and these severe encounters with journalists have caused irritation. It has become people.

He said that government officials should listen to the voice of the people, especially the voice of women and their demands for their rights.

Elahe Mohammadi’s trial was held in private, against her request.

In prisons

Accordion to reports women have been arriving to their cells covered in bruises.

Despite all, we still see women prisoners resistance in forms of calls, poetry, call to action and show of solidarity as a form of continuation of the resistance to achieve a better world.

These were just a few examples of the daily resistance of women inside Iran. Due to the vast limitations women experience from the Islamic regime’s laws and regulations, Iranian women’s existence in itself can be an example of resistance to oppression.

Presentation of Beulah Osueke at the Women’s Equality Day Event – The United State

What’s happening Post-Roe in the US?

• There’s ample propaganda that purports the US as a beacon of hope, but we, the Black, the Brown, the poor, the female, the queer, the trans, the disabled, the immigrant, the indigenous, the most disenfranchised.. Know this is far from the truth. The US’s refusal to adequately address historical harms and ongoing systemic violence against oppressed populations is a showing of this country’s blood and shameful legacy and imperialistic existence.

• In many ways, the landscape of abortion access post-Roe, in the US, is fairly identical to how it was with Roe. Black women and birthing people have seen the writing on the walls for years. We knew Roe was vulnerable, limiting, protection, and we in large were never afforded the ability to exercise our full bodily autonomy even UNDER Roe.

• While Roe was the law of the land, the most marginalized among us, oftentimes Black women and birthing people, poor people, queer and trans people, were not able to access appropriate reproductive healthcare. And with no Roe they still can’t access appropriate reproductive healthcare.

• On the federal level, classist legislation, like the Hyde Amendment, still prevents women and birthing people on Medicaid from receiving abortion care unless they want to pay out of pocket, which for many people is cost prohibitive.

• While I underscore the impact of anti-abortion efforts, we’re also seeing massive state level push back since the fall of Roe that shows abortion access is, by and large, important to people and something that they want to maintain and have access to.

• Last summer, Kansas citizens voted in a landslide to NOT change their state constitution to outlaw abortion, an outcome that, if you listen to forced birth legislators and activists, was never going to happen.

• Just earlier this month, Ohio voted in a special election on Issue 1 which sought to raise the threshold for a constitutional amendment to pass from a basic majority of 50% to 60% SPECIFICALLY to undermine the attempts to have abortion access added as a right to the state constitution in November 2023.

• Recently, in Pennsylvania, Governor Shapiro pulled back funding for a Crisis Pregnancy Center called Real Alternatives. The fact that pseudoscience-based clinics staffed by objectively fake doctors were receiving government funding is disheartening, removing their funding is the bare minimum.

• As long as there are people fighting against the right to abortion access, there will be even more people fighting for it.

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How does the rollback (and subsequent flurry of anti-rights legislation) disproportionately impact black women and LGBTQI people?

• Existing at multiple intersections of oppression means you’re statistically more likely to experience interpersonal and systemic violence against you

• Due to converging systems of oppression, Black women and birthing people are more likely to be on government assistance or medical plans, limiting their access to reproductive healthcare

• Black women and birthing people are more likely to live in or near communities that do not have access to clean water or air or are routinely exposed to toxins, making them more likely to experience maternal and infant mortality, chronic illness, and birth defects.

• Black women and birthing people are more likely to live in gerrymandered districts that are drawn specifically for their voices to be silenced and their voting power to be diminished.

• Black trans men are less likely to seek out reproductive healthcare due to body dysmorphia and adequate transgender-informed reproductive planning and medical care, by and large, does not exist.

• Our liberation cannot be legislated, we don’t look to elected officials to save  us:

• However, anti-rights legislation gives a “pass” to hateful, bigoted, racist and homophobic individuals who think that their behavior and actions and beliefs are inherently right or justified.

• This leads to loss of life, as was the case with the recent murder of gay Black man, O’Shea Sibley in NYC who’s life was taken just for dancing in the street and presenting as openly queer.

• Feminist and scholar, Audre Lorde, famously said that we do not live single issue lives, and we don’t. The sooner we all begin to realize that our neighbor’s struggle is our struggle, the closer we become to realizing a world where all of us can live with dignity and our basic needs met.

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What does Reproductive Justice look like in the US context?

• Reproductive Rights: Focuses on the legality of reproductive healthcare and ensures that all women and birthing individuals have access to the same care under the law

• Reproductive Health: Focuses specifically on providing reproductive healthcare including abortion services, birth control, mammograms, pap smears, family counseling and more

• Reproductive Justice: Focuses on all of the societal aspects that affect our reproductive health and autonomy including climate activism, gun violence, mass incarceration, maternal health, state-sanctioned violence, and more.

• Reproductive Justice, as a movement, asks us to envision a world beyond just reinstating Roe or repairing the damage done over the last year. It asks us to fight for a society that provides holistic reproductive care to all birthing people in any way they need.

• Reproductive Justice in the US context provides a human rights framework for us to understand all of the different ways white supremacy, imperialism, patriarchy, and capitalism wreak havoc on Black lives in particular.

• Reproductive healthcare is connected to climate degradation, which is connected to the housing crisis, which is connected to toxic drinking water, which is connected to voter disenfranchisement etc.

• There is power, strength, and necessity in us collectively understanding and working to combat the impacts of our shared, principled struggles.

Bio of BEULAH OSUEKE

She/Her/Hers

Beulah Osueke (she/her/hers) is the Strategic Operations Director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice, a Pennsylvania and Ohio-based social-change movement dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women, femmes, and girls. Beulah has an extensive background in community organizing, international network building, and organizational development with particular focus on utilizing a human-centered approach to maximize the genius of marginalized people(s). Beulah is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University with a Bachelor of Psychology and Sociology and earned her Master of Clinical Psychology from LaSalle University. Beulah is committed to working to ensure the complete wholeness of Black women and Black youth.

Presentation of Latifa Ahmady at WIN Women’s Equality Day 2023

Hello everyone.

On behalf of Afghan women, I would like to express my thanks to Women Intercultural Network the organizer of the event for giving me this opportunity to be here with you for a few minutes. I would like to express my deepest thanks and warm greetings to all freedom loving and justice-seeking women movements, human rights organizations defenders and individuals who protested and sent declarations of solidarity in defense of the Afghan people, especially Afghan women.

Dear friends

Today I am happy to be among a group of heroes who are struggling for liberation and freedom of humanity from poverty, oppression and tyranny. I am also one of you. A woman who escaped from the land of blood and fire and now fights for the lost rights of women imprisoned in Afghanistan

Unfortunately, two years ago, the United States, NATO and their supporting countries handed over Afghanistan to a terrorist and dark-minded group for their political and military interests, a group who committed suicide and explosions in 20 years, and shed the blood of thousands of innocent people. A group that is as misogynist and fundamentalist as they don’t even accept the physical presence of women in society. In fact, the killers of the people were made the rulers of their destiny.

Today, situation in Afghanistan is worse than Medieval period, people are in the worst social, political and economic conditions.

Millions of people became refugee. According to United Nations official statistics  in last two years about two million people have left Afghanistan and gone to different countries, especially Pakistan and Iran. Currently, about 9 million Afghans are immigrants around the world.

Twenty million people are unemployed, hungry, and facing poverty, 4 million young people addicted to drugs in two years.

16000 people have been imprisoned by the Taliban

1,400 of them are women.

 500 hundred children, including seventy girls, are in Taliban prisons.

Official statistics of the Taliban Prisons Directorate.

Recently, 60,000 female hairdressers lost their jobs.

250 TV and radio stations have been closed, and 12,000 journalists have lost their jobs, of which 40% are women and girls. Official statistics of Reporters Without Borders.

The Taliban have turned hundreds of schools into religious schools and fired most of the teachers.

Afghanistan has become the center of suicide training and Islamic fundamentalism.

Suicides and psychological problems are heard in every corner of the country.

while on other hand Jihadi fundamentalist are recruiting soldiers from these poor people.

The past two years were difficult for the entire nation, but women and girls suffered the most. Women are treated like slaves. Women are deprived of their basic rights, which are work and education. Women are whipped in public, stoned to death, forced married to Taliban soldiers, they have been eliminated from all sectors of the community, and subjected to thousands of insults and humiliations every day.

 the situation is critical and there is even a danger that Afghanistan will once again enter into a war between these terrorist groups that have the support of different countries, and the world is watching and has kept a deadly silence, and everyone’s attention is towards Ukraine’s war. If the situation continues in this way, unfortunately, it must be said that I do not see a good outlook/ prospect and we will witness even worse disasters.

We all know and have seen that when the Taliban take over, thousands of women walked to the streets and made their voice for justice, but unfortunately, these voices were cruelly suffocated and suppressed by the Taliban. We saw how the Taliban arrested a huge number of women activists and sent them to prison. These women were taken out of their houses by Taliban armed men at night. Some of these women were beaten and tortured and faced with ill-treatment and forced confessions.
despite of all these pressures and tortures, women’s voice for justice has not been completely silenced and they have continued their struggle in different ways. What is clear is that no country has recognized the Taliban as a formal regime until now and the relations of this group are still severed with many countries of the world it is because of the protests and struggles of women.

Dear friends!

Afghan women are trapped between the chains of oppressions from different sides. They are deprived of right to raise their voices for their basic rights . They are under high pressure and persecution by the security and intelligence agencies of the Taliban. Lack of serious support from human rights and women’s rights organizations abroad. Insincerity and determination of the international community against the cruel actions of the Taliban towards the women. On other side they are facing poverty, insecurity, the other problem is the countries like America, Pakistan, Iran government, Qatar and some other countries that played a role in bringing this group to power are still trying to give formal recognition to the Taliban. All these have made it difficult for women to fight and seek justice.

Demands of the Afghan women

1-Non-recognition of the Taliban:

The main and fundamental demand of the women’s justice movement is that the Taliban should not be recognized at any cost otherwise the people will continue to be under the rule of ignorance for years.

2- Impose more pressure on Taliban:

 Global pressure should be increased on the Taliban so that this group stop cruelty and barbarism against women. To remove their restrictions on women. Our women and young girls should not be flogged on the roads, put in jail, or humiliated and insulted. In this regard, it is the responsibility of all human rights organizations and institutions that defend women’s rights in the world to put pressure on their governments to stop supporting the Taliban group in Afghanistan. This is the biggest help that the world can do for the support of women in Afghanistan.

3- Due to the worse conditions and strict laws of the Taliban, a large number of girls and women in Kabul and some provinces have adopted a secret life and are thinking of leaving the country. Some protesting women even left the country. Now there is a need for support of international political activists, Women Movements and human rights and civil activists to raise their voice for the imprisoned women in Afghanistan. They are in need of women defenders to help them and guide them how to plan their struggles against this terrorist group.

4-There should be no financial assistance provide to the Taliban. The United Nations should explain why it give forty million dollars to the Taliban every week? Who give this money and why will this money be provided to the Taliban?

Don’t you think that this money is helping the Taliban to restore their power? Don’t you think this is a big obstacle to democratic programs and human rights and women’s rights? They are empowering the Taliban to flog more women?  Imprison more women at home? Depriving girls from school and finally turning Afghanistan into a center of international terrorism so that none of the countries in Europe and other regions in the world will be safe and secure?

In his latest interview with Afghanistan International, Zalmay Khalilzad  US special Representative for Afghanistan for Reconciliation from Sep2018 to october2021 said that America supports the Taliban and that this group is for the benefit of America’s interests in the region and acts against ISIS. I want the American people, Human right and women’s right organization to ask Joe Biden and Donald Trump for signing a peace agreement with the Taliban and surrendering Afghanistan to a terrorist group, and ask them how a  killers group can bring peace and democracy to a country?

Why does the US government compromise with international terrorists for its interests?

I asked the women Activists around the world not to forget their sisters in Afghanistan. They should raise their voices for saving human rights in particular women ‘s rights in Afghanistan. Afghan women need your solidarity and sympathy.

Hoping for a world free from inequality and discrimination and The success of women’s justice movements around the world.

Thanks

Bio of Latifa Ahmady

Latifa Ahmady was born in Afghanistan and completed her primary and secondary education in Iran and Pakistan. She got her Bachelor Degree from Kabul Educational University- faculty of English Literature and Master Degree from Avicenna University- Kabul -Afghanistan. She dedicated her life to empower women to break the chains of oppressions, discrimination, and violence against women. She as a representative of Afghan women participated in different European and Asian International women gathering for revealing real condition of Afghan women. She has been

• Women activist since being 14 years.

• Former Executive Director of Organization for Promoting Afghan Women Capabilities (OPAWC)

• Present Director of an Afghan local organization Enter to Bright Future Organization (EBFO)

• Current executive board member of Women Intercultural Network (WIN)

• Current board member in an Afghan local organization: Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan (HAWCA)

• Current board member of a NETWORK in Sweden (Action in Umea for Afghanistan).

Because she was an activist for Human’s Right and women’s rights and had open activities against the wrong policies of the government and fundamentalist groups, the conditions for living inside Afghanistan became difficult for her. Like other women’s rights and human rights activists, she constantly threatened by unknown forces and fundamentalist war lord groups. Therefor she left Afghanistan with her family on Dec 2020.

Interview With Cathryn Harris-Marchesi, Esq. Strong Commitment To Equity and Equality

Elahe Amani

This interview is the third part of the series of interviewes Elahe Amani, Chair of the Women’s Intercultural Network ( WIN ) conducting with the board members of WIN. The first interview was with Dr. Gail James and the second interview was with Charlie Toledo.

Catherine, you have a reputation for having a strong commitment to leveling the field for women and marginalized groups locally and globally, what motivates you to be an agent of change? 

I have always had a strong sense of what is right and wrong.  Even as a child I would defend children that were bullied based on what was just.  This sense of justice was instilled in me by my grandparents who were involved in defending the rights of those who were in power felt they could exploit.  My attitude has always been if two individuals on the same footing want to battle over something so be it.  However, if a person in a powerful position seeks to take advantage or disadvantage someone who does not have the resources to defend themselves or object, I have an issue.   I am fortunate enough to have lived internationally for many years in a number of countries which taught me to understand multiple perspectives.  I also believe that those in power do not know what is best or what works for everyone.  My goal is to strive and help create a society where everyone has a voice and where the value of an idea, solution or thought is not based on the societal position of the person who expressed it.              

You have brought your knowledge and expertise to the Women Intercultural Network.When and how did you connect with WIN?

 I am extremely fortunate to count Charlie Toledo, a former Chair of WIN, as one of my dearest friends and mentors.  Charlie and I met in Napa California over thirty years ago, and in my younger years especially, Charlie provided me with guidance and very wise counsel. Over the years, Charlie shared WIN’s mission and the work WIN was involved.  I remember Charlie sharing her experiences in Beijing, Mexico, Afghanistan and Africa with me over the years.  Once I was established in New York, Charlie approached me about coming on to the Board at WIN since my work and private life continued to be focused on social justice.  It is an honor to be on the Board of WIN and work with such a dedicated and sincere group of women.  A truly humbling experience and I continue to learn from the exceptional women of WIN.   

As a seasoned civil rights lawyer, what are the human rights/women’s rights that are at stake in the US?

The issue that keeps me up at night is the undoing of the civil rights of all members of all protected classes under Federal Law.  We have already seen for example, Title IX that provided protection for women in educational programs that received Federal funding.  The classic example is universities providing funding for women’s sports not just men’s and the right for students to be free from sexual harassment on campus.  These protections extend to employees at educational institutions as well.  The Supreme Court recently gutted Title IX by prohibiting emotional damages to a Plaintiff that file pursuant to Title IX, greatly weakening the deterrence factor and failing to make a plaintiff whole under the law.  We have seen the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, which will now have significant negative outcomes for women up to and including death.  Most recently we have the reversal on affirmative action and we have seen significant decision in federal and State courts rolling back the right for the LGBTQ community.  My greatest fear is that the current Supreme Court is headed in a direction where they could conceivable overrule long standing precedent that outlaws discrimination by private entities through the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.  A few years ago this would have been inconceivable, however that is not where we are today.  I think the greatest lesson we can learn for the recent years is that progress on an issue is not necessarily permanent and that regression will occur if those who believe in a society based on equity do not stay vigilant.  In the context of civil rights in the United States, we have won a series of battles, not the war, and now those rights are under attack again.                     

You have a history of fighting racism, while working for ERASE Racism drafted new fair housing laws with enforcement systems that were enacted in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in January 2007. In your opinion, what are the challenges we still face in this country to erase racism?

One of the biggest challenges is understanding what racism is, how it manifests and actively challenging racial inequity when we see it.  These are uncomfortable conversations that need to occur and a great example of where everyone’s opinions regarding solutions must be heard, especially those who are most greatly affected.  The history and invidiousness of racism is something that must be taught in school. Learning from the mistakes and inequities of the past is essential to the growth of a civil society.     One of my greatest concerns is that with cultural divisiveness and social isolation on the increase, white nationalism is taking a stronger root which only leads to violence and has no place in a civilized society. Exposure to other cultures and perspectives are essential to the eradication of racism and any form of prejudice.         

You are an educator and have contributed to several universities including but not limited to teaching a course in “Law, Culture, and Difference”. While we value inclusion in the workplace, what are the gaps between what We claim and our actions and deeds in the workplace? As a civil rights lawyer, how can we close the gaps between laws and the dominant discourse in culture of discrimination and lack of true inclusivity?

The issue here is really about real institutional change and inclusion.  The best way to achieve this is to shake up the board room and include women and individuals from other marginalized communities in decision making processes and management.  When a business is diverse, the profit margins grow as new markets open.  As business understand this, then it becomes a win/win.  It is not the zero sum game where one has to be divested for the other to succeed.  All individuals should receive training and professional development to allow them to grow, advance and feel valued in their employment.  It is simply good business.      

Women’s Intercultural Network is holding the signature event of WIN this year on “Pushing Back on the Pushback” in Iran, Afghanistan, and the US. As a board member, As a board member, what are your thoughts and reflections on this topic?

From my perspective, the most important issue is for women to support women and learn from each other.  There is strength in numbers and we must not become divided by other differences.  We need to have honest conversations, learn about the needs of other women in other communities/cultures and provide the support each community of women identifies in the form that the women from each community identifies as their need.  Listen then provide in accordance to what is communicated.        

You like opera, what is your favorite?

La Triviata is my favorite.  I am a Puccini/Verdi fan.  Unless of course it was Carmen with Jessye Norman, may she rest in peace!  

Iran’s Seat at the UN Commission on the Status of Women Gender and Regional Politics at the UN

Elahe Amani

Apr 27, 2021

On April 21st, the Islamic Republic of Iran was elected again to have a seat at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, a UN body that is “ …the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women. “This election faced a frustrating, disappointing, and enraging reaction by Iranian women human rights defenders, feminist and gender equality activists. Undoubtedly, there cannot be a ground of any claim that Iran sought re-election to the Commission on the Status of Women / CSW because of a commitment to advance and protect gender equality and women’s empowerment, the goals of the CSW.

The problem and disappointment of membership of countries with a poor record on gender equality are not limited to Iran. Currently, Saudi Arabia ranks 147 on the Global Gender Gap Report 2021, is a member state of the CSW, and Pakistan was also re-elected again to have a seat the Commission on the Status of Women for the term 2022–2026 ranks 153. Iran ranks 150 of 156 countries listed on the Global Gender Gap Report 2021 (Page 10).

The UN Commission on the Status of Women/ CSW is a functional body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women that established by the Commission of the Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ) on 21 June 1946. CSW is instrumental in “promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. “

Members of CSW are elected by the 193 states that make up the UN General Assembly. First, the Assembly elects 54 of its member states to serve on ECOSOC. Then, ECOSOC elects 45 states to serve on CSW for overlapping periods of four years: 13 from Africa, 11 from Asia-Pacific, nine from Latin America and the Caribbean, eight from the Western European and Others Group, and four from Eastern Europe. However, in the vast majority of cases, elections are uncontested — there are only as many candidates as there are vacancies in each regional group.

The value of the UN and its commissions lies in its universality and inclusivity because it seeks to involve all states in a dialogue about women’s human rights, gender equality, laws, and norms, and holds the position to raise standards through engagement and support, as well as through challenge and censure.

While the negative publicity from electing countries with poor records on women’s rights can potentially provide an opportunity to shed light on gross violation of women’s human rights and discriminations against women, but contextualizing the global backlash of women’s rights and the harsh reality that women and girls are facing, it is disheartening and disappointing particularly to generations of feminist and equality activist in countries like Iran. The reality is that the presence of countries such as Iran or Saudi Arabia with gross violation of women’s rights compromise the moral force of this body and damaging the credibility of the Commission. These are not countries renowned for their advancement of women’s rights and the record of their voting on the commission attest to their role as regressive forces in the discussion at the annual session and the final “Agreed Conclusion “, the document that the Commission on the Status of Women each year produces after the March session at the UN headquarters in New York.

Beyond the gender politics and politics of gender, beyond the political agenda of state and non-state actors including some civil societies, the Islamic Republic of Iran has one of the poorest records in terms of women social-economic, and political empowerment and has not even signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women / CEDAW, the Bill of Rights of women.

The UN Secretary-General report that was released in 2020, detailed Iran’s human rights abuses including its discrimination against women and girls “in law and practice, including with regard to family matters, freedom of movement, employment, culture, and sports, as well as access to political and judicial functions.” Also in the annual address to the U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, noted: “some positive steps” for Iranian women and girls in education and citizenship rights. But he also said, “egregious gender-based discrimination persists in law, practice and societal attitudes, disempowering women and girls from participating and contributing in society.”

In the international community, some argue and have this misconception that membership of countries with poor records on women’s rights or human rights, in UN functional bodies such as Human Rights Council or Commission on the Status of Women would encourage these countries to take steps in the right direction. However, during the multiple times that Iran had a seat in the Commission on the Status of Women, Iran neither encouraged nor took any significant action in the right direction to improve women’s rights records. During the four years of Iran’s previous term at the Commission on the Status of Women, women’s social, political, and economic rights were continuously violated, more women’s human rights defenders were imprisoned, women were sentenced to exercise their civil rights and objection to compulsory Hijab, the number of women in poverty particularly women as head of household increased, child marriage was promoted by state media, no action was taken to legally protect women and girls from various forms of violence and safety and security of women was more endangered than previous years.

During the election of member states on April 21st, 43 of the 54 nations in the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted in favor of the re-election of Iran to the Commission on the Status of Women for a four-year term beginning in 2022. It is speculated that at least four current members in the block of western European countries of ECOSOC, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Swiss, United Kingdom, United States, or Portugal voted in favor of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It should be noted that While typically ECOSOC regional groups’ nominations for the Commission on the Status of Women, the U.S. usually exercised its authority as an ECOSOC member to call for a symbolic vote and they requested the vote on April 21st.

While the role of countries like Iran, Pakistan, or Saudi Arabia is very limited in the “Agreed Conclusion“ and any resolutions emanating from the session, but there are strategies that other member states can take to nullify the presence of these countries. In 2017, The Belgian Prime Minister issues a public apology of his country vote to put Saudi Arabia as a member of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Instead of questioning the credibility and role of the UN and its commissions including the Commission on the Status of Women, global civil society should strategize on strengthening the voices of civil society at the UN. The official reports of functional bodies of the UN including the reports to the Commission on the Status of Women do not include the submission of civil society reports ( NGOs). It is expected that the Member States develop meaningful engagement in civil society in all their diversity and as part of their presence at the UN Commission. But, it is clear in societies like Iran or Saudi Arabia or a whole host of other countries, because of lack of democracy and freedom, engagement of civil society is limited to a few GONGOs. For this very reason, civil society shadow reports have been developed voluntarily, often to challenge, inform, and/or strengthening the country reports and shed light on the reality of women and girls’ life that are not included in the country reports.

As an Iranian American, I hope Iranian civil society, including but not limited to women’s organizations collectively strategies on preparing comprehensive and inclusive shadow reports about the harsh reality of Iranian women and girls, documenting the many aspects of gender discriminations and regressive policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the diaspora, we have the opportunity to contribute to the civil society voices and the women’s movement, build coalition and collaborations and keep up the voices and spirit of the Iranian independent women’s movement.

In the words of Arundhati Roy, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

Statement submitted by Women’s Intercultural Network, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council*

Commission on the Status of Women

Sixty-seventh session

6-17 March 2023

Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and

to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly

entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and

peace for the twenty-first century”

Statement submitted by Women’s Intercultural Network, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council*

The Secretary-General has received the following statement, which is being circulated in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.

Since the Fourth World Conference’s adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) in 1995, Women’s Intercultural Network, a United States based organization, has been at the forefront working locally and globally to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. In 1995, recognizing technology as vital to communication, Women’s Intercultural Network collaborated with Apple Computer to set up a Local Area Network in Beijing to connect with and provide real-time updates to members and civil society partners in the US on the workings of the Conference. Committed to advancing the Beijing Platform for Action, Women’s Intercultural Network built the first state policy mechanism to implement the BPfA, known globally as the California Women’s Agenda, then leveraged the power of technology to connect groups of women from the USA, Uganda, Iran, Afghanistan, Japan and around the world with the US policy mechanism for the BPfA. Women’s Intercultural Network’s decades of engagement at the annual Commission on the Status of Women has included panels on technology and education along with technology in the context of peace and security. Given our history, global network and stalwart commitment to advancing women’s human rights globally and locally, Women’s Intercultural Network supports the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality in urging a global multi-sector mobilization to shape a feminist digital future. Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of the digital revolution requires addressing socio-cultural, data-driven and regulatory challenges faced by both public and private sector actors. The Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Roadmap on Digital Cooperation will advance work towards the Global Digital Compact proposed in the Common Agenda, in close consultation with Member States, the technology industry, private companies, civil society, and other stakeholders. The role of civil society and the leadership and representation of women and girls is paramount.  

As the Secretary-General’s Roadmap on Digital Cooperation seeks to advance work towards the Global Digital Compact proposed in the Common Agenda, efforts by Member States, the technology industry, private companies, civil society, and other stakeholders must consider and be informed by the diverse needs and insights of women and girls to ensure a robust and inclusive digital transformation that benefits society and marginalized individuals.  

Digital transformation holds tremendous potential, but also great peril for women and girls. Women and girls in all their diversities must have equal access to opportunities to use, lead, and design technology and innovation. Progress in this area requires the world to address the significant digital divide and entrenched gender norms that continue to limit the aspirations of young women and girls. Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of the digital revolution necessitates investments in digital infrastructure alongside policies and programs that support women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Addressing gaps requires funding, urgent multilateral and multi-stakeholder commitments and accountability. 

Data collection must be deliberate, funded and disaggregated. Women’s Intercultural Network encourages states, non-governmental and the public and private sectors to fund and apply the gender-focused evaluation, practices, and metrics outlined in CEDAW to bring this global framework to local communities to advance women and girls’ equity and accelerate progress across all SDG’s by mainstreaming gender.

To this end, WIN connects CEDAW to local action. Since 2014, the Cities for CEDAW Campaign has identified vital links between human rights, gender equity, and local public policy.  Resolutions and Ordinances have taken shape in localities across the United States committed to the well-being and empowerment of women and girls and their families. To date Women’s Intercultural Network and its partners have guided 15 cities committed to tracking and measuring disaggregate data by enacting ordinances that incorporate anti-discrimination human rights standards and strategies into local governance, modeled by the UN CEDAW Treaty.         

These ordinances, along with the 40 City/County Resolutions have established commitments to CEDAW concepts and practices. An additional 35 U.S. cities and 10 counties are exploring this initiative, demonstrating the growing consensus that CEDAW is a roadmap to gender equity, inclusion, and sustainability at the grassroots. The Cities for CEDAW Campaign mandates a Gender Analysis. These analyses provide localized disaggregated data on employment, social services, access and participation. The resulting data informs strategic plans and policy decisions. Adopting a local CEDAW framework provides oversight and creates the measurement mechanisms essential to track progress. These gender-based equity initiatives across the country will enhance critical data needs and analyses, addressing crucial digital divides that limit access and opportunity for women and girls.  Inability to participate in civil society due to lack of connectivity or vocational and technical skills is a form of discrimination outlined by CEDAW. The gendered nature of cyber crimes is yet another. 

Diverse cities have committed to improve the status of women and girls in paid and unpaid labor, childcare, access to education, social and financial services with attention to intersectional outreach to overcome racial inequality, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and bias experienced in rural, refugee and indigenous communities. Progress relies on disaggregated data, but also necessitates funding, education and training alongside innovation. CEDAW cities and counties are addressing the digital divides that plague both urban cores and rural areas, increasing educational and employment opportunities for marginalized women and girls. 

The digital revolution is a transformational moment in history that holds the opportunity to advance equity and human rights globally or perilously undercut both. 

Women’s Intercultural Network proposes the following recommendations: 

1. Member states must deliver commitments to finance and advance gender equality and accelerate progress by implementing strategies and digital policies informed by stronger engagement with the private sector, civil society, with increased focus on women’s leadership. 

2. Digital advances must be inclusive, intersectional, support women’s human rights and strong societies. Member states and the private and public sectors must commit to responsible use of data, upholding the rights and privacy and safety of individuals. Technology, innovation, policies and services must be informed by and reach the most marginalized including rural, poor, indigenous, refugee, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled. Gender biases in Artificial Intelligence algorithms replicate patterns of discrimination; therefore, deliberate design must advance gender equality and non-discrimination in technology and development. AI technologies used for surveillance, such as facial recognition, also raise safety issues. For example, these technologies could be used to curb the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and used against those who partake in peaceful protests, including human rights defenders. 

3. Strategies must center a Human Rights framework to ensure policies, programs, and initiatives are equitable for women and girls, and all marginalized groups. Member states and stakeholders must prioritize innovative and sustainable technologies, projects and programs that advance gender equity through social, economic and environmental solutions. 

4. Education must focus on access, infrastructure, and closing the digital divide. Curriculum delivery must advance to leverage online learning. Investing in building a culture of digital literacy for marginalized communities requires collaborating with civil society organizations and school districts to ensure success.

In the United States, the digital divide is an old problem in the new normal. As things stand in 2022, “24 million Americans lack access to high-speed internet, and many more cannot connect due to gaps in digital equity and literacy and/or because the service is priced beyond their reach. To connect every household, Congress has tasked states with federal broadband funding and oversight from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

A 2020 study by Common Sense Media, “Education SuperHighway” found that 30 percent of US K-12 grade public school students live in households without either an internet connection, a device adequate for remote learning, or both. Sixty percent of these disconnected students can’t afford digital access; up to 40 percent face adoption barriers (e.g., a deficit of digital literacy skills or an inability to complete the signup process for low-cost broadband service); and 25 percent lack access to reliable digital infrastructure (an issue primarily impacting students in rural regions, in particular, Native American students). 

Intersectionality, race exacerbates the digital divide. Black and Hispanic households account for nearly half of all Americans without internet access at home. It’s not surprising that 70 percent of Blacks and 60 percent of Hispanics are insufficiently equipped with digital skills to compete in the current job market. According to Deutsche Bank report, “America’s Racial Gap and Big Tech’s Closing Window,” 76 percent of Blacks and 62 percent of Hispanics could get shut out of or be underprepared for U.S. jobs by 2045. 

The situation is similarly dire across the country’s 574 tribal nations. The American Indian Policy Institute determined that just 67 percent of tribal lands in the continental U.S. have access to broadband internet and only 20 percent of Native American respondents said their tribe offers digital literacy resources and initiatives.

Pre-pandemic, over 183 million (32 percent) 3 to 17-year-old school children in Asia and the Pacific lacked internet at home. A UNICEF survey of youth in 10 countries in Asia revealed that 61 percent of students do not receive digital literacy education in schools.

Pandemic-related school closures forced many students to rely on virtual learning despite no internet access. UNICEF estimated that 80 million children in East Asia and the Pacific did not access any learning during the 2020 lockdowns. School closures in Iran and education bans in Afghanistan have impeded the education of millions of girls. Entrenched patriarchal social norms impede progress for women and girls. Lack of access to technology widens the gender divide in the workforce as economies rapidly digitize, most jobs require digital literacy. These issues, in addition to conflict and violence, authoritarian regimes, and the absence of democracy have compounded humanitarian crises with women and girls paying a heavy toll.

Covid-19 changed the global digital divide from a problem into an urgent crisis for health and education. Less than 25 percent of low-income countries provide any type of remote learning, only relying on radio and TV. This mode of education was prevalent in both Iran and Afghanistan. In contrast, nearly 90 percent of high-income countries provided remote learning opportunities, almost all online. One notable exception is Uruguay, which,15 years ago, introduced a national one-to-one laptop/tablet program with connectivity for primary and secondary students. It is a fact that the internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.

5. Laws and Policy Reform must create a framework of accountability and must consider Digital Privacy Laws, Responsible data usage, Cybercrime, Online Trafficking in persons, and digital extortion. Now is the time to protect the online space by challenging digital harassment and democratic backsliding and making those who govern digital platforms accountable. In the United States and Canada, one in five young women report having been sexually harassed online. Moreover, some groups of women, including human rights defenders, women in politics, journalists, bloggers, women belonging to ethnic minorities, indigenous women, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women, and women with disabilities, are particularly targeted.

6. Technological investments must meet the moment. Prioritizing women in clean energy investments, access to capital, job training, hiring, ownership, and new business creation is important in closing the gender gap.  Now is the time to broaden intentional pathways for women and girls’ advancement in technology to ensure their equal access to and full participation in technical and decision spaces.

“Investments in closing the digital gender divide yield huge dividends for all.” Secretary-General Guterres

Women, Life, Freedom: A Statement of Solidarity with Women in Iran

October 2022

The Women’s Intercultural Network stands in solidarity with the brave women and girls of Iran who are weaving a feminist future in Iran and the entire region.

The demonstrations ignited by the police killing of Jian ( Mahsa ) have entered their fourth week in Iran and the Diaspora. On September 16th, the police arrested and beat to death the 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Jian (Mahsa) Amini, on the street in Tehran for her “improper hijab.” The anti-government protests and civil unrest started hours after Jian’s death at the hospital, intensified, spread to all 31 provinces, and reached at least 83 cities within days. Although more than 150 people have been killed, and thousands have been arrested, the protest among the young and old continues.

Iran has seen multiple eruptions of protests over the past years, many of them fueled by desperation over economic difficulties. However, the new wave of protests led by women and girls is against something at the heart of the identity of the Islamic Republic of Iran: the compulsory veil. The compulsory veil is emblematic of the Iranian people’s control, censorship, and oppression.

At its core, this is not about any individual person’s faith, this is about the human rights of the Iranian people, with women and girls leading at the forefront.

Women and girls burned their scarves and cut their hair in powerful displays of defiance. Political bodies of the generations born and raised in the last 43 years are now revolting against the laws depriving them of their choice, security, and fundamental economic, social, and political rights.

In response to these protests, on September 19th, the Iranian government blocked internet access, followed by nationwide restrictions on social media. These actions were intended to curtail freedom of expression, isolate resistance from the rest of the world, and cover up government abuses.

The slogan “Jin Jîyan Azadî,” or “Women, Life, Freedom,” is a famous Kurdish women’s movement slogan. This was chanted at Amini’s funeral in Saqqez, where she was born. The slogan recognizes respecting a woman’s autonomy and the right to choose what to do with one’s body, whether it is to cover it with hijab or not, and challenging authoritarian regimes and patriarchal power structures. As many other creative slogans were chanted in the protests, it shows that the uprising is against authoritarianism and has challenged any political, social, and cultural tyranny with a liberating approach.

As the organization that embarked on the Cities for CEDAW campaign in the United States, the only western country that has not ratified CEDAW, we also support the continuous struggle of Iranian women to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women as Iran also has not ratified CEDAW.
Please join us in supporting the voices of women and girls in Iran.

Elahe Amani
Chair, Women’s Intercultural network

Statement of Solidarity: Afghan Women and Girls Deserve Protection of Human Rights

October 2022

A day is not passed that the world is not witnessing yet another human rights violation of Afghan women and girls. From being forced out of public spaces to being denied education and work opportunities to being unable to leave their homes without male guardians accompanying them. The continuous reports of violence and bloodshed of women and girls, lack of access to education, and ethnic cleansing policies are making headlines, yet the world is silent.

The suicide bombing in Kaaj tuition center in the western part of the capital, which the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) noted in a tweet, is a Hazara and Shia-majority area, left more than 53 dead and more than 110 injured, the vast majority were young women. The district is predominantly a Shia area and home to the minority Hazara community, historically one of Afghanistan’s most severely persecuted groups.  While historically, ethnic cleansing, slavery, and other acts of violence and discrimination excluded Hazara people from the government, economic opportunities, and social dynamics even before August 2021. However, according to a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan Richard Bennett, the discrimination and abuse have continued more intentionally since August of 2021.

Female students resisted these atrocities and, for several days, protested in the streets of Kabul, compromising their safety and security to seek justice for the victims of the suicide bombing. While the UNAMA tweeted, “Our human rights team continues documenting the crime: verifying facts & establishing reliable data to counter denial & revisionism.” But the Afghan community is still awaiting justice to be served. 

These acts of violence against girls’ rights to education and violence perpetuated against the Hazara ethnic minority were yet another page of the long history of violence and lack of safety and security for Afghan women and girls.  Education is a fundamental human right and must be respected  by all Afghans regardless of gender and ethnicity. The generations who were born and raised in the last twenty years face harsh realities and regressive policies that don’t have a place in the twenty-first century.

Women’s Intercultural Network, with twenty years of engagement in the empowerment and protection of Afghan women and girls’ human rights, is deeply concerned about the various forms of violence against women and girls in Afghanistan and holds the people in positions of power accountable.

We stand firmly on the side of Afghan women and girls and are committed to raising their voices and breaking the global silence. Afghan women and girls deserve their human rights, nothing more and nothing less. 

Elahe Amani

Chair, Women’s Intercultural Network