On this International Women’s Day, we mark not only a global vision of gender equality and non-discrimination, but also the anniversary of the Center for Human Rights Advocacy (@c4hra) As the situation in #Afghanistan worsens and around the globe, on this day we call upon the international community to join us in our commitment to ensure women are heard and remain at the centre of all efforts towards comprehensive, transformative justice and a world where they can enjoy their human rights. #Rights #Justice #Action For ALL #Women & #Girls

🕊️ This week, the 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 2026 brought practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and communities together under the theme “Choose Peace.” Two sessions mattered most for our work at the Center for Human Rights Advocacy: “Recognizing Islamic Jurisprudence as a Framework for Negotiations: Dilemmas and Opportunities for Peace Mediation” and “Bridging the Debate 'Peace versus Justice': Peace Diplomacy Amid International Arrest Warrants.” What stayed with us across these conversations is: peace that sets justice aside tends not to last, and the people who pay for that are the ones already least heard. Dr. Denis Mukwege, delivered the Kofi Annan Foundation Geneva Peace Address, ending with this: “There can be no lasting peace without justice for the millions of victims of crimes committed over the past three decades. Thirty years of war is thirty years too many. Thirty years of impunity is thirty years too many.” It is why we keep coming back to these essential spaces. Sustainable peace requires justice. Survivor-centred accountability matters. Join us in our continued commitment to advance it. #GenevaPeaceWeek #ChoosePeace #Justice

Ahead of today’s UN General Assembly Sixth Committee session, the 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗖-𝗖𝗔𝗛) calls upon UN Member and Observer States 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 🔗 Follow online on UN Web TV here at 10 AM EDT: webtv.un.org/en/asset/k18/k1… 📄 Full statement here: cfhra.org/_files/ugd/011859_… #CAHTreatyNow #Inclusive #VictimandSurvivorCentred #UNGA

“𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁.” — Elizabeth Atieno, Survivor Activist These words speak to why we walk into a room dedicated to gender justice and the responsibility we continue to carry when we leave. Across every conversation, discussion and exchange, we return to humility, dignity, autonomy and resilience. Our colleague, Murren Meers, attended the 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗖𝗟 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 organized by @LegalActionWW, the Gender Justice Practitioner Hub (GJP Hub), Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice, and the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague on 6–7 October 2026, joining survivor activists, practitioners, researchers and civil society representatives. The discussions reiterated a commitment at the core of the Center for Human Rights Advocacy (@c4hra): advancing access to justice for victims and survivors. Survivors must shape what justice means and how it is pursued, from the conception of programmes to their design and implementation. As Atieno emphasised, this requires listening to those whose lives these decisions affect. Of particular relevance to our work was the panel “Asia in Focus – Afghanistan: Strategizing for Survivor-centred Justice,” facilitated by Ishita K. (Legal Action Worldwide), with Azadah Raz Mohammad (End Gender Apartheid Campaign), @SR_Afghanistan Mr. Richard Bennett (Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan), Humaira Rasuli (Human Rights Lawyer) and Ehsan Qaane (Afghanistan Transitional Justice Coordination Group). Drawing on consultations with women of Afghanistan, Mr. Bennett highlighted understandings of justice encompassing education, work, healthcare, economic and social rights, and the restoration of dignity. These priorities call for accountability efforts that address the structures sustaining gender-based exclusion, discrimination and domination. The panel also examined barriers to pursuing that justice. Azadah Raz Mohammad raised concerns about transparency and civil society access to information surrounding the CEDAW interstate initiative. Humaira Rasuli highlighted the exclusion of women lawyers and its consequences for women seeking legal representation. Ehsan Qaane stressed the importance of an investigative mechanism that complements the ICC while addressing accountability needs beyond its remit. Together, these contributions underscored the need to connect legal pathways with survivors’ priorities, meaningful participation and sustained political engagement. They also brought us back to a question that must guide this work: what does justice mean to the people seeking it? For CHRA, we carry these reflections into our advocacy and our efforts to support Afghanistan’s women and girls to be heard with a commitment to listen with humility, respect autonomy, recognise resilience and place survivors’ dignity at the centre of the pursuit of justice. #GenderJustice #SurvivorCentredJustice #Afghanistan #InternationalCriminalLaw #HumanRights

“The plight of Afghan women and girls is one of the gravest examples of gender persecution. Afghan women and girls are systematically discriminated against, on the basis of their gender. They deserve justice,” Deputy Prosecutor Khan said. #Afghanistan #ICC

"Today, 5 October 2026, 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗜 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 (“𝗜𝗖𝗖” 𝗼𝗿 “𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁”) 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 on 8 July 2025 and 9 September 2025 against Mr Haibatullah Akhundzada ('Mr Akhundzada') and Mr Abdul Hakim Haqqani ('Mr Haqqani'), as well as against Mr Habibullah Agha ('Mr Agha') and Mr Neda Mohammad Nadim ('Mr Nadim')." 🔗 Full Press Release Here: icc-cpi.int/news/icc-pre-tri… 🔗 Public redacted version of ‘Decision unsealing four warrants of arrest’, 5 October 2026 Here: icc-cpi.int/court-record/icc… #Afghanistan #ICC