Afghanistan in the picture: Right Livelihood Laureates discuss perspectives

The "Alternative Nobel" laureates Sima Samar, an Afghan physician and human rights activist, and Monika Hauser, founder of the Germany-based NGO "Medica Mondiale" have been discussing the issue of human and women's rights in Afghanistan at a panel discussion held at ZEF on Monday, May 27.

The panel discussion was co-organized by RLC, ZEF, BICC and the Crossroads Asia project.

Both laureates gave a very mixed picture of the current situation in Afghanistan: Despite long-year involvement of the international community, development in terms of building effective governance and an accountable justice system is slow and small. "If the focus of the international intervention had not been a military one and had not been driven by own interests, much more could have been achieved" said Monika Hauser in a critical statement.

Mrs. Samar said that the human rights's situation for Afghan women and citizens had actually improved after the international intervention in 2001 - compared to the era before. However, she also criticized lacking legal structures and the implementation of women's rights.

Watch the full discussion here:

 

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