Written by: Ahmed Adam, FORUM-ASIA United Nations Advocacy Programme Manager Nearly two years after the withdrawal of international forces in Afghanistan, the United Nations and the international community appear to be running out of options on how to effectively deal with the human rights and humanitarian crises intensified by the Taliban’s return to power. [ Read more ]

  Written by: Muda Tariq, South Asia Programme Fellow, FORUM-ASIA Women in Afghanistan are up against the wall. Even in these desolate times, Afghan women have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and courage. They have bravely confronted the Taliban and its anti-women policies; they have refused to be silenced; they have taken to the streets to demand [ Read more ]

Written by: Hafizullah Saeedi, FORUM-ASIA Human Rights Defender Programme Two years into the Taliban’s takeover, the group has continued to violate human rights, commit crimes under international law, and disempower the people of Afghanistan with impunity. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, they have been silencing dissent. In doing so, the Taliban [ Read more ]

52nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan Oral statement delivered by Hafizullah Saeedi On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Mr. President, Special Rapporteur, Since the last Council session, human rights situation in [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu – 16 January 2023) –  The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and 30 of its member organisations strongly condemn the Taliban’s recent ban on women and girls from higher education and employment in non-governmental organisations (NGOs). “The Taliban’s complete exclusion of women from public life, denying them their human rights and [ Read more ]

(7 October 2022, Bangkok) — In a suicide attack on Kaj Education Center in Dasht-e-Barchi West Kabul on 30 September, 53 civilians were killed, among them at least 46 young girls. Approximately 110 were injured.[1] The attack targeted Hazara students who gathered to take a university mock exam in West Kabul, an area home to [ Read more ]

Discrimination against women in Afghanistan is so systematic and violent that it could be called gender apartheid. To discuss the ongoing crisis FORUM-ASIA, OMCT, FIDH, SRMO, AICHRM, and FrontLine Defenders is holding a side event during the 51st Regular Session of Human Rights Council to address this issue.

51st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan   Delivered by Hafizullah Saeedi On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)  12 September 2022   Mr. President, Since the Taliban take over of Afghanistan on [ Read more ]

51st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Enhanced interactive dialogue on the on the situation of human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan   Delivered by Horia Mosadiq On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)  13 September 2022   [ Read more ]

For immediate release 17 August 2022, Bangkok Reflecting on one year takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban on 15 August 2021, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Safety and Risk Mitigation Organization (SRMO), and Afghanistan Human Rights Coordination Mechanism (AHRCM) organised a webinar to discuss the situation of human rights and human [ Read more ]