Statement of Bakhtar Institute
on the Occasion of International Women’s Day

Bakhtar Institute (BI) would like to honor, respect and extend its sincere congratulations on the occasion of International Women’s Day to all women particularly the women of Afghanistan. While celebrating this significant day at international level, since 19 months, millions of women in Afghanistan have been deprived from their primary and fundamental rights such as right to education, work, and free movement. In the meantime, they are exposed to serious and systematic violence and abuse and are literally under house arrest.

The initial notion of the 8 March celebration is to promote a gender equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination – a world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive and ultimately, a world where difference is valued and celebrated. On the contrary, a century-old value has turned out to be completely perishing in the heart of Asia, the Taliban’s Afghanistan.

The other sad side of the coin is that in the last two years, the world has been witnessing the collapse of nascent democratic values including the women’s rights and there is almost no sign of a collective global action such as “responsibility to protect” against the ongoing dire situation in Afghanistan.

Once again, Bakhtar Institute condemns the ongoing systematic oppression and violence against women of Afghanistan and urges the United Nations, European Union, Organization of the Islamic Countries, the United States of America, Russia, China, International human rights organization, and other regional countries to fulfill their responsibilities and to take practical measures for the betterment of the human rights situation and to restore democratic values in Afghanistan.

Bakhtar Institute, once again, reminds that the right to education isn’t negotiable and emphasizes on the significance of resuming a meaningful and honest dialogue among the national and international stakeholders that can result to the restoration of all human rights values including the right to education, work, freedom of speech and movement for the women of Afghanistan.

Finally, BI announces that it can provide the platform for such discussions and dialogue for Afghanistan’s national and international stakeholders.

Bakhtar Institute, Berlin, Germany
8th of March, 2023