FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

March 2, 2026 — New York, NY — Women for Afghan Women (WAW) is pleased to announce that 2026 will mark its 25th year of advancing the rights, safety, and dignity of Afghan women and girls. 

Founded in April of 2001 with the help of a small group of volunteers in Queens, New York, WAW has grown to a global Afghan-led organization providing life-changing services to women, girls, and their families, in both the United States and Afghanistan. Today, WAW operates with 286 team members globally, two U.S.-based community centers in New York and Virginia, and 21 offices across Afghanistan. WAW’s U.S. community center staff is mostly women-led and come from Afghan, South Asian, and other Muslim immigrant communities in New York and Virginia.

For a quarter-century, WAW has served millions of women, girls, and families, offering critical programs including pro-bono legal support, education, youth empowerment, mental health services, and protection for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. Today, we are proud to be the largest Afghan led women’s rights non-governmental organization in the world. 

Despite facing profound challenges — from the fall of Afghanistan in August 2021 to ongoing displacement, humanitarian crises, and most recently federal funding cuts in the United States — WAW has embodied its true Afghan spirit, remaining resilient and standing tall 25 years later in service of its communities.

Throughout these years one fact has remained the same: our commitment to serve Afghan women, girls and their families, and to create pathways for their safety, dignity, and opportunity through direct services and advocacy. 

“This anniversary isn’t a celebration of time passed; it is a renewal of our vow. When we protect HER safety and honor HER potential, we aren’t just helping one person, we are holding the line for entire generations. The next chapter of WAW is about reaching the girl in the most remote province and the woman navigating an unfamiliar city, ensuring that no matter how loud the world gets, HER voice is never silenced.” – Dr. Susan Aryan Antolin, WAW Executive Director 

About Women for Afghan Women (WAW) 

Women for Afghan Women is a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and promoting
the rights of Afghan women, girls, and families. With community centers in New York and
Virginia, and a strong foundation of work across Afghanistan, WAW provides direct services,
including case management, legal support, counseling, educational programs, and youth
leadership initiatives, rooted in cultural competence and gender equality. Through advocacy,
education, and empowerment, WAW works to ensure that Afghan women and girls can rebuild
their lives with dignity and lead change in their communities. Learn more at
www.womenforafghanwomen.org.

Media Contact:
Sabena Chaudhry 
Communications Manager
sabena@womenforafghanwomen.org



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