Since regaining control of Afghanistan in August of 2021, the Taliban have imposed over 100 edicts against the basic human rights of women and girls. Rights to education, to work, to travel, and to access the courts are severely restricted, and recently even women’s faces and voices were criminalized. This gender apartheid system has worsened the crisis of violence and degradation for Afghan women, while eliminating critical resources for support. By banning women from practicing law, and silencing their voices, the Taliban has created a crisis of poverty, despair, and injustice. To address this, IANGEL developed the BRIDGE project to provide connection and support to Afghan women lawyers, their families, and their communities.
“BRIDGE has become a huge source of happiness and support. It helps us become optimistic about our future.” – Zainab [a pseudonym], BRIDGE participant
“It has been a great opportunity to work as the project manager of the BRIDGE Project, and to be in a position where I can manage things and connect female lawyers in Afghanistan to lawyers outside of Afghanistan.” – Mina [a pseudonym], BRIDGE Project Manager
Our BRIDGE project began in August of 2023, when we first met and connected with women lawyers and activists on the front lines of the crisis. Through these collaborations, we developed our project to provide what they told us they need—financial support, connection, and professional support, which in turn will enable them to assist women experiencing gender-based violence or other injustices. This project is a force multiplier, replacing feelings of isolation and despair, with a community of professional engagement, economic assistance, and emotional support. Our project’s goals are:
– To address poverty and despair among Afghan women lawyer participants by providing monthly stipends for support and internet access;
– To empower women lawyers in Afghanistan by maintaining a platform where they can meet, share, and connect with each other and with women lawyers outside the country, for mentorship, training, and emotional and professional support;
– To address the crisis of gender-based violence and injustice in Afghanistan, by engaging these lawyers to assist Afghan women experiencing violence and injustice in their communities;
– To increase awareness, and become an agent for change, by collecting data, amplifying voices, building support, and motivating international advocacy to work for long-term change.
“BRIDGE stipends have provided me with financial support, helping to alleviate economic burdens and improve the standard of living for my family.” – Aisha [a pseudonym], BRIDGE participant
Our group consists of nine Afghan women lawyers, in Kabul, Laghman, and Herat provinces. We send funds to them monthly, which supports these women and an additional 30 members of their households. They in turn pay it forward, using their skills as advocates to assist women in their communities. We meet with them monthly, including featured speakers on human rights law and topics of interest, reports on the women they are assisting in their communities, as well as personal sharing, connection, and updates on how they are feeling. The project has been a remarkable success, as these women are feeling newly empowered and hopeful, despite living in the darkest of circumstances. In turn, they inspire us to continue our work to support Afghan women, and the resistance.
“It is truly an honor for me to be part of the BRIDGE Project with you, and I appreciate the opportunity [BRIDGE] has given me to share my thoughts and ideas…” – Zohra Sangi, an Afghan woman lawyer in exile, featured as a BRIDGE speaker
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