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Announced Withdrawal from Afghanistan Repeats Mistakes of the Past

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Retreat from Afghanistan would restore the abhorrent conditions that led the U.S. to intervene in the first place and represent a devastating foreign policy blunder. Since 2001, the U.S. has endured massive losses in blood and treasure — over 2,400 soldiers died, 20,400-plus wounded and nearly a trillion dollars spent. Afghans have suffered enormously — at least 38,000 civilians and nearly 60,000 Afghan security forces have died. Numerous justifications for the American intervention in Afghanistan were articulated in 2001: Punishing al Qaeda for perpetrating the 9/11 attacks; eliminating the Taliban, which gave al Qaeda sanctuary; releasing the Afghan people from decades of repression; creating a democratic government; and empowering Afghan women and girls to exercise their fundamental rights. Considering those objectives have not been achieved, a quixotic reduction of U.S. forces, even by half of current levels, would endanger the government’s stability; heighten extremists’ …

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Celebrating Courageous Legacies and New Beginnings

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  Letter from Manizha Naderi bidding us farewell and welcoming in her successor, Najia Nasim, as WAW's new Executive Director Dear WAW Board, Staff, Donors, Colleagues, Volunteers, Stakeholders, and Friends: Words cannot adequately express what it has meant to me to have served as the Executive Director of Women for Afghan Women (WAW) for the past 17 years. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to have worked with all of you to make this organization what it is today: the largest human rights organization in Afghanistan and the largest Afghan women’s rights organization in the world. What we have built together is simple and humble, yet strong and powerful. Most of all it is full of love—and a labor of love it remains. Serving as Executive Director of WAW—working side-by-side with so many inspiring leaders and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our brave and resilient clients—has been the greatest honor of my life. Together, we have built an organization …

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WAW Endorses The International Sanctuary Principles Statement

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International Sanctuary Principles Statement Call for Endorsers The following statement sets forth five principles of sanctuary that can be used to guide grassroots and governmental response to the global escalation of displacement. It is in conformity and solidarity with the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, a multilateral treaty that defines who is a refugee, and sets out the rights of individuals who are granted asylum and the responsibilities of nations that grant asylum. To sign as an individual or organization, please contact globalsanctuarymovement@gmail.com We express our deep concern for the well-being of the refugee children, families and all migrants currently arriving at our borders, as well as those struggling to live within our borders. In response to the increased numbers of people around the world who are being forced to leave their home countries, and the simultaneous increase in punitive enforcement in many receiving …

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Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds: A Proposed Rule by the Homeland Security Department

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Today, December 10, 2018, is the last day to submit a comment to the Federal Register on the U.S. Administration's proposed "public charge" rule, which would bar certain individuals from obtaining entry into the U.S. This proposed rule has the potential to adversely affect some of Women for Afghan Women's (WAW) New York Community Center clients. WAW calls on all of its staff to submit comments and share this post, as well as to solicit the help of all our networks and clients. The submission of public comments during the rulemaking process are a vital tool civil society can use to address the challenges within the proposed rule and create a better, more refined policy. You may submit a comment here. About the proposed rule: The proposed rule would expand definition of "public charge"--i.e. a person determined to likely become financially dependent on the government--and render him/her ineligible for a green card and certain types of visas. The expansion would exclude individuals …

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Women for Afghan Women Announces New Executive Director

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WAW’s Afghanistan Country Director, Najia Nasim, to succeed Manizha Naderi as WAW’s New Executive Director starting January 1, 2019 The Board of Directors of Women for Afghan Women (WAW) is proud to announce that WAW’s Afghanistan Country Director, Najia Nasim, will transition to the role of Executive Director commencing January 1, 2019. Ms. Nasim will succeed Manizha Naderi, who has served as WAW’s Executive Director since 2006, and with whom Ms. Nasim has worked closely to build the grassroots approach of WAW—the largest human rights organization in Afghanistan—and its extensive operations, reach, and success. Since its inception in 2001, WAW has grown from a small group of volunteers to the largest Afghan women’s rights organization in the world, promoting and protecting the rights of Afghan women and children through direct services, human rights training, and advocacy. To date, WAW has 788 full-time staff, 32 facilities, and programs in 14 provinces throughout Afghanistan, …

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Want gender equality? Let’s start with ending child marriages

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Each Oct. 11th the global community pauses to recognize and celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child. However, girls continue to face unique challenges simply for being young and female. The mere fact that they are born female often results in a devastating series of consequences, which inhibit girls from attaining gender parity, equal protection under the law, the free exercise of their human rights and the ability to realize their full potential. The 2018 theme, “With Her: A Skilled GirlForce,” aims to ensure girls have the skills necessary to attain financial viability. One major obstacle preventing girls from achieving these goals is child marriage. Worldwide, around 15 million — or one in three — girls are annually subject to child marriage, often forced or coerced. Married minors are more likely to experience poverty, domestic violence, lack of access to education, sexual abuse and emotional and physical health challenges. Child …

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