Afghan Women’s Rights Activist Set To Address Munich Security Conference
Fawzia Koofi, a prominent women’s rights activist and former member of the Afghan parliament, has announced her invitation to speak at the upcoming Munich Security Conference.
Fawzia Koofi, a prominent women’s rights activist and former member of the Afghan parliament, has announced her invitation to speak at the upcoming Munich Security Conference.
Koofi is scheduled to deliver a speech on Afghanistan’s role in international and regional policies and will participate in a panel discussion on the essential role of female leadership in promoting peace and development in international relations.
The conference will take place from 14 to 16 February.
At last year’s event, foreign ministers from 12 countries issued a joint statement condemning the Taliban for excluding women from society and political decision-making, warning that such systematic gender-based abuse could amount to crimes against humanity.
The statement, released on the second day of the conference, was endorsed by the foreign ministers of Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, the Netherlands, and Romania, who described the situation in Afghanistan as one of the worst human rights crises in the world.
In response, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the foreign ministers’ remarks as baseless propaganda, asserting that the rights of all citizens, including women, are respected in Afghanistan, and that people enjoy security in terms of life, property, dignity, and mental well-being.
This year’s Munich Security Conference will focus on global security challenges, environmental security, the state of the international order, and regional conflicts and crises. Additionally, Bloomberg reported on 6 February that former President Trump’s strategy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict will be presented at the conference.
On the sidelines of the event, JD Vance, US Vice President , is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, 14 February.
Zelensky has warned that if Ukraine’s NATO accession plan is not realised, Kyiv will require further assistance from the United States to bolster its military capabilities.
