WomanPost Calls on Annalena Baerbock for Action to Declare Afghanistan a Gender Apartheid State According to Feminist Foreign Policy Principles
Following Her Statement Cited 'Afghanistan Experiencing 'Biggest Violation Of Rights On Earth'
WomanPost, a movement dedicated to advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan, has made an appeal to Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s Foreign Minister, a Leading supporter of Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP), to take decisive action on Afghanistan's worsening human rights crisis By Implementing Feminist Foreign Policy Guidelines Using FFP principles to drive international Practical efforts addressing crisis gender-based oppression in Afghanistan.
Musawer Begana Human rights activist and founder of Womanpost Approached Federal Minister Annalena Baerbock with their joint letter, which highlighted Baerbock’s 2022 statement describing the situation in Afghanistan as "the biggest violation of women’s rights on Earth."
The appeal urges the Foreign Minister to act for her commitment to gender equality using Important legal principles of Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP)
The appeal references a recent Report by Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, released in June 2024, which details the extensive gender-based discrimination and oppression faced by Afghan women and girls. This oppression includes severe restrictions on education, employment, freedom of movement, healthcare, and access to justice, which WomanPost argues constitutes a framework of gender apartheid.
The Key Appeals By Woman Post
Declare Afghanistan a Gender Apartheid State: Officially recognize the systemic gender-based discrimination and oppression in Afghanistan as gender apartheid. This acknowledgment would bring global attention to the severity of the situation and pave the way for more international interventions.
Implement Feminist Foreign Policy Guidelines to drive international efforts aimed at addressing the crisis. This includes leveraging Germany's influence to mobilize European and global action against gender-based oppression.
Promote International Justice and Accountability: Support Womanpost’s Mission for international legal frameworks, such as the Beijing Declaration, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, to hold accountability on anti-human actions.
Principle Context of Feminist Foreign Policy used :
Feminist Foreign Policy is a policy framework tailored to address contemporary issues and advance gender equality and women’s human rights.
FFP Principle: Feminist Foreign Policy emphasizes putting gender equality and human rights at the center of international diplomacy.
Woman Post Application: WomanPost uses FFP principles to argue that gender-based oppression faced by Afghanistan women and girls is an “Inhumane Act” and violates international law. WomanPost’s call for Baerbock to act on Afghanistan aligns with FFP’s focus on addressing severe gender-based oppression as a diplomatic priority.
FFP Principle: Feminist Foreign Policy aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and involves tackling both the violence women face and the underlying structural inequalities.
Woman Post Application: WomanPost seeks to use Baerbock’s platform to advocate for recognition of the gender apartheid in Afghanistan and push for international justice, aligning with SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
International Frameworks Addressing Afghanistan's Human Rights Crisis:
Global Commitments: Highlight international agreements such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as frameworks for action.
UNSCR 1325: Emphasize the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security in guiding responses to conflict situations like Afghanistan.
Additional Details
Annalena Baerbock’s Role in Feminist Foreign Policy: Baerbock has been a vocal advocate for a feminist approach to international diplomacy, which emphasizes gender equality, human rights, and the inclusion of women in peace and security efforts. Her support for FFP aligns with global efforts to address systemic gender injustices.
Background on WomanPost’s Mission: WomanPost is dedicated to Attracting international support for Afghanistan women's rights through the Influence of 100 Public Figures countdown, The movement, which is run by Afghanistan Girls students from inside and outside of Afghanistan, gathered 30 out of 100 public figures in 3 months and published important letter concerning the exclusion of women from Doha 3, which garnered support from 30 journalists, activists, and leaders.