“Thank you to each and every one of you for your actions and support for women and members in Afghanistan. We received many messages of solidarity for our sisters in Afghanistan and they have been forwarded on safe channels.
Evacuations are still ongoing and we do our best to assist this work, so we hope you understand that the speed of the International Secretariat might not be as usual on other projects.
We hope to be able to invite you in the near future to a special webinar for members focusing on the situation in Afghanistan and the responses we need to send internationally and nationally, but at the moment we focus on urgent priorities related to evacuations and high-level advocacy.
We also made two statements at the 31st Special Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the serious human rights concerns and situation in Afghanistan:
23 August: Written statement
24 August: Oral statement
WILPF International is further encouraging individuals to take steps and encourage their government representatives to stand in solidarity with Afghanistan by listing some “urgent demands” that they can meet:
- Advocate for an immediate nationwide ceasefire, demand freedom of movement for all throughout Afghanistan, and that the airport and border crossings remain open so those who wish to leave the country can do so, and enable full humanitarian access.
- Ensure safe passage out of Afghanistan of all women human rights defenders, their dependents and allies. Visas and flights out are needed urgently.
- Demand from your countries to open their borders and welcome asylum seekers from Afghanistan while ensuring adequate protection and humanitarian assistance of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons.
- Demand an immediate stop to deportation of anyone back to Afghanistan.
- If your country is on the UN Security Council, please call your foreign ministry and direct that they provide leadership and coherence, and use all the tools available to the highest body on peace and security including reinstating sanctions, as well as opening of humanitarian access.
- Share a copy of this WILPF written statement with your government and urge them to support the establishment of an HRC investigative mechanism, such as a fact-finding mission, at the upcoming HRC 48th session and to work actively to make this happen. It is particularly important that you do so, if your country is a member of the HRC.
- Raise critical analysis in the media or other partners of the failures of governments and international community, including on military invasion, arms sales, and abuses of human rights of Afghans.
WILPF Canada stands in peace and solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and everyone that are fighting for the freedom and rights those individuals.
