A group of Afghan women’s rights activists in Australia, operating under “Voice of Afghan Women in Australia,” has called on the Australian government to take urgent action over the situation of Afghan women. Former MP Nilofar Ebrahimi said they raised concerns with Australian lawmaker Alicia Payne about the condition of Afghan women both inside Afghanistan and in countries like Iran and Pakistan. In a formal letter, the group warned that thousands of Afghan women in Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey face deportation, which could force them back to Afghanistan, where severe restrictions on education and employment persist. They urged Australia to uphold its commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and take practical steps, including speeding up visa processing, offering scholarships, and increasing pressure to halt deportations. The group described the current situation for women in Afghanistan as “gender apartheid,” echoing previous assessments by United Nations experts who have called for stronger international action.
