Afghanistan: First Women’s Empowerment Centre (public lecture with Ms Nasima Rahmani)
by missjenn | October 19, 2012 - 14:00 - 15:00
Ms Rahmani worked with ActionAID on women’s rights providing access to paralegal support to women in the provinces. In March 2011, she visited Australia sponsored by ActionAID to promote their work. She has subsequently visited a number of countries by invitation to attend gender equity and human rights conferences. In 2011 Ms Rahmani was asked by Professor Sima Samar, the Independent Human Rights Commissioner in Afghanistan, to open the Women’s Empowerment Centre (WEC) at the Garwashad Institute of Higher Education (GIHE). She is building a substantial scholarship program at GIHE and the Indigo Foundation.
Ms Rahmani will discuss the challenges facing women to gain entry to public and private universities, and her work to support women to achieve economic independence and potential leadership positions.
“The Peace Scholarship I received from UN Women ... completely changed my life. Now I want to do the same for young women in my country. I know how much a scholarship and opportunity to study will change their lives forever. It will give them freedom to get a job and freedom to have a future. This is what the scholarship did for me.”
Ms Rahmani will also touch on her work with ActionAID Afghanistan from 2007–2010 to establish Local Rights Programs and Paralegal Training in Balkh, Jawzjan, Bamyan and Heart Provinces.
Ms Libby Lloyd AM is Patron of the Indigo Foundation and is supporting both the WEC and the scholarships.
Location:
CAIS Lecture Theatre, Blg 127, Ellery Crescent, ANU
The Australian National University
Canberra, ACT 0200
Australia
