Marzia Joins International Solidarity Gathering for the Women and Girls of Afghanistan at UN Geneva
On August 15, 2026, Judge Marzia Babakarkhail joined Afghan women’s rights advocates, activists, political leaders, and international representatives at the United Nations Main Office in Geneva for a Solidarity Event for the Women & Girls of Afghanistan.
The gathering took place on the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, as Afghan communities and supporters around the world marked the anniversary with demonstrations, meetings, and advocacy events. According to Afghanistan International, events were held in 28 cities across Europe, North America, and Asia, including Geneva, London, Washington, Paris, and Toronto.
The Geneva gathering brought together Afghan and international voices to draw attention to the situation facing women and girls in Afghanistan and to emphasize the importance of protecting their fundamental rights, freedom, equality, and human dignity.
A Global Call for Afghan Women
Across the world, August 15 became an opportunity for Afghans living outside the country and their supporters to publicly challenge the continued restrictions imposed on women and girls under Taliban rule. Reports from Afghanistan International and the Afghan Diaspora Network described gatherings in cities ranging from Munich and Düsseldorf to Washington, São Paulo, Tehran, and Islamabad. In Geneva, a separate rally was also held outside the United Nations, where participants called for greater international attention to the rights of Afghan women and girls.
(Left) Marzia with Shukria Barakzai, former Parlimentarian in Afghanistan and now VP, World Liberty Congress, dressed in black. (Center) Marzia with Aryana Sayeed, center, a famous Aghan singer. (Right) Marzia outside the UN headquarters with demonstrators.
The UN gathering that Marzia participated in featured an afternoon of discussion, testimony, and cultural expression. An English-language panel examined the current situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and the international community’s role in supporting their fundamental human rights. A second panel, conducted in Farsi and Pashto, brought Afghan voices to the forefront, focusing on their experiences and the challenges facing women and girls under the current regime.
Marzia Takes the Stage
Marzia was among the featured speakers during the afternoon program, joining a distinguished group that included former Afghan Minister of Public Health Dr. Suraya Dalil, former Afghan Member of Parliament Baktash Siawash, former Afghan parliamentarian Shukria Barakzai, artist and women’s rights activist Aryana Sayeed, and other advocates and community leaders. She was introduced as an author and former judge of Afghanistan. The program also included a theatrical performance dedicated to Afghan women and girls, poetry, and a musical performance by Aryana Sayeed.
For Marzia, speaking at an international gathering devoted to the rights of Afghan women and girls was another opportunity to bring their experiences and struggles before an international audience. As a former judge who was forced to flee Afghanistan after two Taliban assassination attempts, Marzia brings a deeply personal perspective to the continuing fight for women’s rights and justice. The gathering concluded with a call for continued international solidarity and a commitment to ensuring that the women and girls of Afghanistan are not forgotten.
Its closing message called for their voices, rights, dignity, and aspirations to continue to be heard around the world. For Marzia, that work continues — wherever she has the opportunity to speak.
Related Coverage
Marzia’s participation in Geneva was part of a much broader international response to the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power. Coverage of demonstrations and gatherings around the world appeared in:
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