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On March 9th, to celebrate International Women’s Day, the National Endowment for Democracy and Darfur Women Action Group, will host a panel on the challenges women face in overcoming religious, political, and ethnic extremism.
The event will highlight the work of brave women activists who have stood up for human rights in the face of growing violence in their regions, and will feature a discussion on how their efforts can be strengthened.
We will be live streaming at 3:00 pm EST at http://www.ned.org/events/
Mahnaz Afkhami
Mahnaz Afkhami is Founder and President of Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP), Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies, and former Minister of State for Women’s Affairs in Iran. She founded the University Women’s Association of Iran and served as Secretary General of the Women’s Organization of Iran prior to the 1979 Islamic revolution. In exile in the United States, Ms. Afkhami has been a leading advocate of women’s rights for more than three decades and founded several international NGOs focused on advancing the status of women.
Niemat Ahmadi
Niemat Ahmadi is Founder and President of Darfur Women Action Group and the former director of global partnerships for United to End Genocide. She has worked with a variety of international NGOs on human rights advocacy. In 2008, she was recognized by President George W. Bush as one of the eight global human rights fighters for freedom of their people. Since settling in the U.S., Niemat has been a vocal advocate on behalf of Darfuri genocide survivors and women victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
Myra Dahgaypaw
Mahnaz Afkhami is Founder and President of Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP), Executive Director of Foundation for Iranian Studies, and former Minister of State for Women’s Affairs in Iran. She founded the University Women’s Association of Iran and served as Secretary General of the Women’s Organization of Iran prior to the 1979 Islamic revolution. In exile in the United States, Ms. Afkhami has been a leading advocate of women’s rights for more than three decades and founded several international NGOs focused on advancing the status of women.
Saba Ismail
Saba Ismail is Executive Director of Aware Girls, a women-led organization working to strengthen the leadership capacity of young women, enable them to work for social change, and advocate for equal access to health, education, and social services. Saba’s organization focuses on promoting the political participation of young women, educating them about sexual and reproductive rights, and combating violence against women. Saba also founded and serves as Vice Chairperson of the Coalition on Rights and Responsibilities of Youth (CRY), a network that seeks to build the capacity of youth to promote tolerance in their communities.
Najla Mangoush
Najla Mangoush is a lawyer and a professor of law, with a focus on war-to-peace transitions, political negotiations, and peace processes. She previously served as the country representative for the United States Institute of Peace in Libya, and she was a senior staff member of Libya’s National Transitional Council. She is currently pursuing her PhD at George Mason’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, with an academic focus on religion and violence, conflict resolution, and social justice.
