KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Zholia Parsi, a women’s rights activist from Afghanistan, has been awarded the Martin Ennals Award (MEA) for her “exceptional courage” in advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan.
The Martin Ennals Foundation announced on Tuesday that Zholia, along with Manuchehr Kholiqnazar, a rights activist from Tajikistan, will officially receive the prestigious human rights prize in Geneva on November 21.
“The two 2024 Laureates, Zholia Parsi (Afghanistan) and Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov (Tadjikistan) have shown exceptional courage and determination to bring human rights at the forefront despite evolving in deeply repressive environments,” the foundation said.
Hans Thoolen, Chair of the Martin Ennals Award jury, said that the two activists were “exceptional laureates” who had “paid too big a price for justice and equality to be respected in Afghanistan and Tajikistan.” He emphasized that the international community must support their efforts instead of “battling geostrategic interests” in the region.
The Martin Ennals Award, named after the first Secretary General of Amnesty International, is presented annually to human rights defenders, particularly those at risk or working in unreported contexts.
Nominated by the US-based human rights organization Freedom Now, Zholia Parsi is the ninth woman to receive the prize and the first from Afghanistan.
Zholia began her activism after losing her job and witnessing her daughters and other Afghan girls being deprived of their right to education following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
She then founded the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women (SMAW) in Kabul and, alongside other women protesters, organized peaceful demonstrations in the city to resist the Taliban’s discriminatory policies and practices.
In her activism, the activist faced serious risks, including arrest and detention by the Taliban. In September 2023, she and her son were arrested by Taliban forces in Kabul and subjected to three months of physical and psychological torture in Taliban custody.
Following the award announcement, Freedom Now praised the decision to honor Zholia Parsi, stating it serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle of Afghan women against their oppressors and underscores the urgent need for the international community to support their efforts to reclaim their rights.
“Freedom Now was proud to partner with other Afghan human rights defenders to nominate Zholia for the Martin Ennals Award. Through our work we continue to support Zholia and the efforts of all Afghan women bravely working to restore civil society and defend human rights in their country,” the rights group said.
The award is being presented at a time when women and girls in Afghanistan face unprecedented oppression, described by UN experts and rights groups as “gender apartheid.”
Under Taliban rule, women and girls are deprived of their rights to education, work, and freedom of movement, effectively excluding them from public and professional life.
