“In a time when the world is talking about Artificial Intelligence and traveling to Mars, Afghan women are still fighting for the basic right to education. We should be mad, we should be angry, we should shout, we should act,” declared Afghan women’s rights activist Tahmina Salik at a reception at Vienna City Hall on May 23. The reception was followed by one day conference hosted by the Austrian Trade Union.
The two-day event, titled „Against Gender Apartheid: Promoting Afghan Women and Girls through Education and Work,“ was organized by the Afghan Cultural Association – AKIS in cooperation with the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC), the Vienna Chamber of Labor, and the Women’s Department of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (Gewerkschaftsfrauen). The event was also supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation. More than 100 participants, including Afghan women’s activists, representatives of various Afghan diaspora organizations in Europe, former Afghan government officials, members of the Vienna City Council, diplomats, members of migrants’ counselling centers and members of international organizations were present in the event.
The Taliban’s Criminalization of Afghan Women
Since the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces and the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021, the Taliban regime has issued more than 100 edicts institutionalizing the systematic persecution of Afghan women and girls solely based on their gender. These decrees severely restrict their mobility, public presence, and access to education, healthcare, and employment. In July 2024, these restrictions were codified into the “Morality Law for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,” which enforces strict dress codes and bans women from singing and participating in public life.
“Just by entering this room—if I were in Afghanistan—I would have broken several laws: from my dress, to the fact that I have a voice, to speaking to both men and women, and most importantly, for speaking about women’s rights,” Salik told the audience: “What would my punishment be?” asked Salik. Probably “prison” she answered. “I don’t even want to imagine what else could happen.”
At the reception, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Austria, Manizha Bakhtari, describes the gender persecution of women and girls under the Taliban as gender apartheid. She stated that any system that deliberately excludes women and girls from public life constitutes gender apartheid. According to her, there must be legal remedies that recognize gender-based persecution as such. The recognition and codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity under international law would help hold the Taliban accountable for their actions. Bakhtari argues that calling it gender apartheid also helps “prevent governments from normalizing relationships with the Taliban.”
For nearly four years, the Taliban has shown no sign of retreating from its extremist ideology. “They are implementing a system of radical indoctrination, turning schools into hubs of extremism,” asserted Shagofah Ghafori, an Afghan human rights defender speaking at the reception. “They are poisoning minds,” she warned. Ghafori emphasized that the threat of radicalization will not remain confined to Afghanistan. She criticized the international community for “flirting” with the idea of recognizing the Taliban, “as if legitimizing them might civilize their brutality.” But, she argued, recognition will not change the group’s stance on Afghan women. Similar to Ghafori, Bakhtari called on activists and Vienna’s politicians to stand firmly against normalization of relations with the Taliban.
“The international community has a legal and moral duty to act accordingly,” Bakhtari said.
Global solidarity with the Afghan women
During his opening speech, Ghousuddin Mir, chair of AKIS and the main organizer of the event expressed his solidarity with the Afghan women. He stated that despite living in safety in Austria, his heart and thoughts remain with the Afghan women who are denied basic human rights. He criticized the international community for turning blind eye and prioritize political interests over human rights. “I don’t understand how the world is making deals and moving toward recognizing the Taliban — it is painful to watch,” Mir said.
“Solidarity with Afghan women requires actions, not just words,” Mir stated.
Palwasha Kakar, former deputy minister for Women’s Affairs in Afghanistan addressed the urgent need for the protection of basic rights – most notably education for Afghan women and girls. She recalled her grandmother who established a school for girls a century ago in her home village, but today, Afghan women are forced to fight for their fundamental freedoms. Conveying the message of hope and resilience, Kakar called upon the international community to demonstrate genuine solidarity with the Afghan women.
As welcoming speech to the City Hall, Andrea Mautz representative of Vienna’s mayor, Michael Ludwig, expressed her solidarity with the women of Afghanistan and reaffirmed the City of Vienna’s commitment to women’s rights globally. She stressed that women’s rights are human rights and they must be always defended. She asserted that a just and equitable society is only possible when there is gender equality.
“We must stand together in solidarity – internationally, politically, and across civil society. Only together can we bring about change,” Mautz concluded.
Representing the Vienna Chamber of Labor, Asiye Sel reminded the audience that the oppression of women in Afghanistan is not merely a national crisis but a global concern. Sel emphasized the need for collective action and global solidarity.
Karin Zimmermann from the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) emphasized the importance of solidarity that transcends national borders. “Trade union stand for cohesion across borders, but also within our country”. Zimmermann highlighted that “genuine trade union work means listening, not speaking about people but with them, to understand their needs and find solution together.”
Empowering the Afghan Women
While much of focus was on the situation of women inside Afghanistan, speakers also drew attention to the situation of Afghan women in Austria. They highlighted Afghan women face their own set of challenges – navigating discrimination, labor market barriers and integration. in diaspora continue resisting through advocacy, education, and digital campaigns.
Maryam Singh, the head of the NGO – Beratungszentrum für Migranten und Migrantinnen (a migrant supporting NGO that helps migrants into labor market), highlighted the diversity complexity within the Afghan community in Austria. She explained that Afghan women arrived at different times with various backgrounds—many well-educated women who came through family reunification after the Taliban takeover, bringing valuable skills that often go unrecognized in the local job market. Singh pointed out that these women face multiple challenges, including precarious employment, limited childcare, unstable family situations, and barriers to education, especially for those affected by trauma or with little prior schooling.
She stressed the importance of understanding the complex realities these women face and emphasized that empowering Afghan women requires addressing patriarchal structures deeply rooted in society.
“We must also work with men,” Singh said, “to achieve meaningful and lasting change.”
Her remarks underscored the need for continued solidarity and targeted support to ensure Afghan women can fully participate and thrive in their new environment.
Frozan Zamani, a young Afghan girl who was born in Afghanistan but grew up in Europe, expressed her frustration at the exclusion of Afghan girls and women from education. She also criticized the international community for not taking any concrete actions. “As a young woman, I hope that political leaders will take active steps and consistently advocate for the education and rights of Afghan girls,” Zamani said.
The counsellor in the City of Vienna, Safak Akcay emphasized the role NGOs such as AKIS plays in supporting children, youth and women – especially those with a migration background – in building independent, secure lives through access to education and integration into the labor market.
Resisting the Taliban from Afar
In her speech, Magda Seewald from VIDC expressed strong support for the Afghan diaspora’s campaigns against gender apartheid in Afghanistan. The common aim of these campaigns is to provide victims and survivors of gender apartheid with a legal framework to hold the Taliban accountable as perpetrators under international law. She noted that VIDC published a policy brief explaining the concept of gender apartheid and offering concrete recommendations for political action. The aim, Seewald emphasized, is to push for the recognition of the Taliban’s systematic exclusion of women from public life as a crime against humanity.
Opposition to authoritarianism in Afghanistan is structural, moral, and unbreakable. Resistance to the Taliban’s so-called Morality Law has taken many forms—secret schools, street protests in Kabul, dancing, red lipstick campaigns, and more. Ghafori believes these diverse acts of defiance are deeply rooted in Afghan society, rising organically from within—even from the very heart of Taliban-controlled areas.
Bakhtari stated that she salutes the bravery of Afghan women inside Afghanistan, but she reminded the audience that the Afghan women are alone in their fight. She called on international community to amplify the voices of Afghan women, listen to them, and offer real support – not just in words, but in action.
Salik introduced two awareness campaigns led by her and other Afghan women to shed light on the situation of women and girls under the Taliban rule. The first, #MyVoiceIsNotForbidden, is a singing campaign in which participants share songs and poetry to defy the Taliban’s ban on music and women’s voices. The second, #MyLipsMyVoice, is a lipstick campaign through which Afghan women declare, “We are here. We will not be ignored,” Salik said. With this campaign, Salik aims to show solidarity and remain visible—both online and offline—even when mainstream media fails to cover the stories of Afghan women.
Awards and recognition
The reception concluded with the presentation of two awards — the Rabia Balkhi Award and the Best Diaspora Engagement Award — recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to supporting Afghan women and girls. These honors not only celebrate personal dedication but also highlight the crucial role of diaspora activists in preserving education, cultural identity, and advocacy in the face of gender apartheid under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Freshta Sama, Afghan musician was honored with the Rabia Balkhi Award for her outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting Afghan music and cultural heritage in the diaspora. Her performances have served as a powerful bridge between generations and a source of pride for the Afghan community abroad.
As she powerfully stated in her appeal before she received the award:
„One gets the feeling that many leading nations are still waiting for a consensus instead of taking clear, united action against these crimes. That is why we, as free women, appeal to the international community: Hear our voices – and act.“
Zahra Hashimi, the visionary founder of Omid Online School, received the Best Afghan Diaspora Engagement Award for her tireless efforts in providing Afghan girls with access to quality online education. Her work has opened new pathways of opportunity for hundreds of students, especially under restrictive conditions inside Afghanistan.
„For the girls, Omid is not just an online platform, but a place of friendship, belonging, and hope.“
Conference: Advancing Afghan Women’s Rights through Education and Employment
On the 24th of May, the Austrian Trade Union Federation hosted a high-level women’s conference titled “Empowering Afghan Women and Girls through Education and Work.” The event commenced with opening remarks by Ghousuddin Mir and Michael Fanizadeh of the VIDC and featured keynote addresses by former Afghan government officials and prominent women’s rights advocates from across Europe. A central component of the conference was a series of three thematic workshops, each addressing critical dimensions of Afghan women’s empowerment.
Key outcomes and recommendations from the workshops
1. Education and empowerment in Afghanistan: A central outcome was the unanimous recognition that the Taliban’s education policies represent a grave violation of human rights. These restrictions severely impede individual development and jeopardize Afghanistan’s broader social and economic future. Participants issued a compelling call to the international community to engage decisively and sustainably in defending the rights of Afghan women and girls. They emphasized that genuine, targeted international efforts are vital to restore educational equity and enable access to education and societal participation for Afghan girls and women.
Recommendations:
Based on the discussions and outcomes of the workshops, the following key recommendations were put forward:
· Support private schools for girls to ensure continued access to education.
· Promote awareness and targeted information campaigns on women’s rights.
· Encourage the involvement and support of men in advancing gender equality.
· Establish radio stations to disseminate educational content and information.
· Mobilize women-led resources and initiatives to empower other women.
2. Labor market access in Austria: This workshop focused on the structural challenges and opportunities for refugees – particularly Afghan refugees – in accessing the labor market and education system in Austria. A key challenge identified was the low level of formal qualifications among refugees, especially those who arrived after 2015, which slows down labor market integration and participation in vocational training. Participants also highlighted the systematic barriers faced even by those with higher education, including limited access to employment opportunities and insufficient childcare services that prevent women from participating in vocational training programs and workforce. Furthermore, the lack of adequate language classes emerged as a major obstacle, leaving many Afghan refugees from the labor market.
Recommendations
While the workshop did not yield specific recommendations during the session, the following points are drawn from the discussion and session transcript:
- Invest in education and vocational training for low-qualified refugees: Targeted support should be provided for refugees with lower levels of formal education.
- Improve and simplify the recognition of foreign qualifications and work experience: Establish clear, transparent and accelerated procedures for the recognition of foreign degrees and professional experience to reduce barriers to employment.
- Expand childcare access to support women’s participation in the labor market: Increasing childcare access would enable more women to participate in vocational training and employment, contributing to their long-term empowerment.
3. The role of Afghan women in the diaspora: This workshop provided a valuable platform to hear the voices, concerns, and proposals of Afghan women. The active and informed participation of attendees from various European countries demonstrated that Afghan women in the diaspora face significant challenges but also possess immense potential for change and empowerment. The discussions not only highlighted the existing obstacles but also outlined clear pathways for overcoming them. The workshop concluded with a strong call to civil society, government institutions, and social actors to translate these findings into targeted, practical programs designed to support and strengthen the role of Afghan women in diaspora across Europe.
Recommendations
Drawing from the discussions and insights shared during the workshop “The Role of Afghan Women in the Diaspora,” the following recommendations were developed to guide future initiatives and policymaking:
· Enhance Access to Information: Provide legal, social, and administrative information in host country languages and Dari/Pashto.
· Promote Economic Empowerment: Support small-scale businesses and self-reliance programs for Afghan women.
· Strengthen Networking and Coordination: Build peer platforms and umbrella organizations to connect Afghan women and diaspora organizations across Europe.
· Expand Vocational Education: Increase access to skills training and professional education, especially for young women.
· Engage Civil Society: Partner with civil society organizations to amplify Afghan women’s voices in policy and program development.
