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Standing in Solidarity and Getting Support to Women & Girls in Afghanistan

Red and yellow graphic reading #SolidarityWithAfghanWomen

If you wish to show #SolidaritywithAfghanWomen and to #StandwithAfghanWomen, consider getting direct support to them as well as signing on to various advocacy efforts pushing to ensure a swift passage to safety for them. Several Channel Foundation grantee partners are led by Afghan women and/or have been working in Afghanistan for years.  They have long experience of getting funds to those most at risk during emergencies and conflicts. They have the connections and legitimacy and are registered vetted charities.

Many statements are circulating calling for political representatives to expand or create emergency programs to immediately host Afghan refugees, and highlight organizations doing vital work on the ground to support women under threat.

Here are direct links to the Channel grantee partner campaigns raising funds to support the immediate and long term needs of women human rights defenders and peacebuilders in Afghanistan as well as advocacy efforts around humanitarian needs:

Women’s Regional Network set up a Go Fund Me campaign, Women Globally Working to Protect Afghan Women, writing, “We are seeking support to protect the lives of Afghan women and their families. This support will come in the form of humanitarian assistance to Afghan women and their children as they seek to leave the country, and security while in Afghanistan.”

Afghan Institute for Learning was founded in 1995 by an Afghan woman during the Taliban regime and has educated and cared for hundreds of thousands of Afghans.

Urgent Action Fund Asia & Pacific and Urgent Action Fund write, “We are raising funds to support the immediate and long-term needs of women, girls and non-binary defender communities of Afghanistan. More information available: https://urgentactionsisterfunds.org/call-to-action-afghan-women/

Mina’s List, has deep ties with Afghan women peacebuilders and Parliamentarians and is highlighting advocacy efforts you can take with the US Government as well as working urgently to mobilize global action to help women leaders escape.

 

Other grantee partners of ours are also working on various efforts in Afghanistan:

International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) supports groups in Afghanistan through advocacy efforts and through their Innovative Peace Fund which gets support directly to women peacebuilders.

Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) has collected a comprehensive list of ways to use our collective power & influence to show up in #SolidarityWithAfghanWomen.

Global Fund for Women writes, “Feminist groups in Afghanistan have been providing food, medical care, & safe spaces for women & children. They’ve set up schools for girls in secret under prior Taliban rule & will continue in secret if they have to. Now is a critical crisis for women, girls, & marginalized communities in Afghanistan. We need to support & fund gender justice groups on the ground to continue their crucial human rights work. We also need to protect & relocate women human rights defenders who are in danger. The crisis is acute. Our response must center the local feminist activists who are already leading the way. They need our funding & support. We’ve supported grassroots groups working for women’s human rights in Afghanistan for over 2 decades & we will continue to support partners working for gender justice in Afghanistan & the greater region today, tomorrow, & in the years to come.”

World Pulse has put together a curated megalist of campaigns helping women and families in Afghanistan.

Other organizations whose efforts align with Channel grantee partners:

Longtime women’s rights nonprofit MADRE Director Yifat Susskind writes, “For those feeling hopeless about Afghanistan, here’s what you can do right now to help: There’s a kickass network of local Afghan women’s organizations who’ve built a country-wide escape & support network for women’s rights activists facing targeted assassination by the Taliban. Money is needed for travel/fuel, food, medical care, VPNs & other tech to ensure secure communication.” #SolidaritywithAfghanWomen

In terms of advocacy efforts, Musawah is asking for neighboring countries to keep borders open & ensure safe passage to fleeing refugees. They also call for any effort to resolve this crisis to involve Afghan women & the Indigenous women human rights movement as central partners.