Afghan Women Activists Call for Global Support at Berlin World Forum

A number of Afghan women activists attended the World Forum 2026 in Berlin, urging the international community to support Afghan women's rights. Parwana Ebrahimi Khil Najrabi told Afghanistan International that Afghanistan's dire conditions were raised in various panels at the event.

The international conference, titled World Forum 2026 and focused on the future of democracy, technology, and artificial intelligence, took place from February 15 to 17 in Berlin. Prominent participants included former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and human rights activists.

Among the Afghan attendees were Manizha Bakhtari, Afghanistan's ambassador to Austria; Sima Samar, former head of the Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan; journalist Zahra Juya; women's rights activist Parwana Ebrahimi Khil Najrabi; and Zarifa Ghafari, former mayor of Maidan Wardak.

Najrabi said the Afghan participants highlighted the suffering and suppression of women in Afghanistan, noting that the international community has effectively overlooked it and that issues of freedom and democracy have been completely forgotten. They called on country representatives to refrain from recognizing the Taliban administration.

She expressed concern over expanding relations between some neighboring and regional countries and the Taliban, stating that this trend could worsen the situation for women and human rights in Afghanistan.

In her speech, Hillary Clinton warned that democracy faces a serious threat from a "transnational coalition of autocrats," which she said is promoted and financed by Vladimir Putin and has many allies in the United States. She stressed that those working for democracy and equitable wealth distribution must be aware of powerful, organized enemies.

The World Forum 2026 aimed to examine global challenges including AI regulations, threats to democracy, human rights, and the future of humanity. The opening ceremony featured Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.