Women, Peace and Security in Afghanistan

Women In International Security (WIIS) is pleased to invite you to a discussion on "WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN"

In partnership with Amnesty International USA

featuring

Mahbouba Seraj
Founder and Director, Organization for Research in Peace and Solidarity

Hasina Safi
Executive Director, the Afghanistan Women’s Education Centre
 
moderated by
Chantal de Jonge Oudraat
Executive Director, SIPRI North America
 
Introductory remarks by
Jolynn Shoemaker
Director, Women In International Security

and

Cristina Finch
Program Director, Women's Human Rights, Amnesty International USA

Please join us and our distinguished speakers for a discussion on current and future security challenges and opportunities facing Afghan women, including their representation and participation in politics, economics and social development.

Mahbouba Seraj is the founder and director of the Organization for Research in Peace and Solidarity or ORPS, working in Afghanistan for Peace and Reintegration Programs. She is also an Executive Board Member of the Afghan Women's Network or AWN, the biggest women network in Afghanistan.  Born in Kabul, she graduated from Malalai High School for girls and Kabul University, and is now working on her Masters Degree on line. After 26 years in exile, she returned to her beloved Afghanistan at the end of 2003 and has been working with the women and children of Afghanistan ever since. She is the creator and announcer of a radio program for women by the name of “Our Beloved Afghanistan by Mahbouba Seraj” which has been broadcasted all over Afghanistan. She also established Women’s Listening Circles in the villages of Afghanistan, where women would gather to listen and discuss different topics of previously recorded radio programs. She has been a tireless advocate for Women’s rights, pushing for women’s participation in the Peace Jirga, as well as in the Peace High Council.

Hasina Safi possesses over 20 years of experience in women development particularly education (formal and non-formal), income-generation and advocacy. Her passion for supporting women is what made her choose teaching as her first profession at the age of fifteen. Since then she has had different positions working for the support and empowerment of women. Throughout her life she has never missed a chance to benefit from an opportunity that could help her in achieving her goals which is support to the women even a very small contribution.

Year 2005 marks the start of her extraordinary professional life. With an outstanding velocity, starting from the membership of women rights movement she continued all the way and secured the position of Executive director of Afghan Women Education Center (AWEC).Besides, she is the executive board member of Afghan Women’s Network (AWN). She has been representing civil society and Afghan women in national, regional and international conferences in order to advocate for their rights. She had been an active member of Peace consultation Jirga and Traditional Jirga.

She is a great supporter of education; she believes education is the key solution towards the sustainability of a nation. Her journey towards success never lacked challenges – not something to doubt about an Afghan woman’s life. Despite, all the challenges, today she is not only successful in her professional life but also she is a caring mother to three children as well as a supportive and understanding wife.

Her values are strong faith on Allah, commitment, mutual respect, dignity, hard work, honesty, and loyalty. She believes on women power & strength at any stage of their life.

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