One Billion Rising against VAW: Linking footprints forward!
By: Dr. Massouda Jalal
As the world kicks off this year’s observance of the 16 Days of Activism to Eliminate Violence against Women (VAW), Jalal Foundation urges everyone to take another step forward to advance the aims of One Billion Rising against VAW! With One Billion Rising, we already have...
A Challenge to PM Modi: Empowerment for women and peace for the region!
by Dr. Massouda Jalal // Former Minister of Women, Afghanistan
India deserves to be commended for demonstrating once again the strength of its democracy as it elected its 15th Prime Minister through absolute majority. Supported by the rising middle class and the business sector of his country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi...
ELIMINATING PREJUDICES IN SCHOOL CURRICULA AND MATERIALS
By: Dr. Massouda Jalal ( Founding President, Jalal Foundation and Former Minister of Women, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan)
Democracy, human rights and gender equality are the cornerstones of enduring peace and progress in Afghanistan. However, in such a context where peoples’ lives continue to hang in the balance of a...
Paths to Power
by Dr. Massouda Jalal // Former Minister of Women, Afghanistan
Introduction
Assalamuallaikum! I send my sincerest gratitude and congratulations to NDI for the impressive draft of its Women Heads of State Report. I find it truly insightful. Like a ‘north star’, it could illuminate the struggles of many women in the thorny,...
Child Brides in Afghanistan: Overview of Situation, Challenges and Options
by Dr. Massouda Jalal // Founding President of Jalal Foundation and former Minister of Women, Afghanistan
Betrothal of girls is pervasive in Afghanistan. According to the Ministry of Public Health’s Mortality Survey that was conducted in all provinces of the country in 2010, 53 percent of all women in the 25...
New Afghan criminal code legalizes complicity to domestic violence
Jalal Foundation and its network strongly condemn the adoption of the provision in the new Revised Criminal Code that prohibits relatives of accused criminals from serving as witnesses during investigations and trials. We are also deeply disappointed with the Parliament for playing deaf to the pleadings of women’s groups...
Statement of Jalal Foundation for the 65th Year of the Universal Declaration of Human...
by Dr. Massouda Jalal // Founding President of Jalal Foundation and former Minister of Women, Afghanistan
The adoption of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 65 years ago continues to be one of the most rewarding steps taken by world leaders to foster development, equality and peace among...
Afghan Widows: Challenges and Opportunities from National and International Perspectives
by Dr. Massouda Jalal // Former Minister of Women, Afghanistan
Overview of the Situation
Afghanistan is a highly prolific producer of widows. The number of widows in Afghanistan is estimated to be from 600,000 to two millions. This is one of the highest in the world when analyzed against the overall number of...
STATEMENT OF DR. MASSOUDA JALAL
Founding Chairperson of Jalal Foundation and former Minister of Women, Afghanistan
for UN Human Rights Council Session 23 – Panel on VAW
We, the women of Afghanistan, are now fighting a fierce battle for our survival and human rights, as the presumed ‘peace process’ brings back fundamentalists who now conspire...
International Rural Women’s Day: Beyond Commemorations
Last week, the world commemorated again the International Rural Women’s Day to call attention to the need for action on the many issues that women in rural communities confront worldwide. The plight of rural women has improved little despite these annual commemorations. Concrete actions are needed globally and the...