Malala Yousafzai: Statements Alone Cannot Change the Lives of Millions of Afghan Women
Tawazon – Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and global advocate for girls’ education, has said that statements and declarations alone are not enough to improve the situation of Afghan women. She stressed that world leaders must move beyond rhetoric, take concrete actions, ensure Afghan women and girls have a role in decision-making, and work to establish “gender apartheid” as an internationally recognized crime.
Yousafzai made these remarks on August 11 in a video released on YouTube by the Defenders of Equality, Freedom, and Advancement of Women (DEF AW). The organization later shared the statements on its X account.
“We have the opportunity to support Afghan women by ensuring that gender apartheid is recognized as a crime under international law,” Yousafzai said. She added that ‘words alone cannot change the lives of Afghan women and girls,’ urging world leaders to step into the field of action.
Since the fall of Afghanistan in August 2021, women have faced sweeping restrictions under Taliban rule. Authorities have imposed severe bans on women’s education, employment, and social participation—policies that international human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned. However, the international community has so far responded mainly through statements, condemnations, and political pressure. Afghan women’s rights activists and human rights defenders argue that these measures have not been sufficient to bring about meaningful change.
In this context, international organizations such as DEF AW are working to amplify women’s voices, push for recognition of gender apartheid in global legal frameworks, and increase pressure on world leaders to adopt practical measures to safeguard Afghan women’s rights.
DEF AW is an international organization dedicated to supporting women’s rights, combating gender-based discrimination, and advancing women’s political, social, and professional participation.
