Afghan Witness reflects on some of the key takeaways of the project’s event on 21 November 2023 with Shaharzad Akbar, Francesca Gentile and Nina Jankowicz. How has online abuse affected Afghan women and what can be done about it?

Social media has provided a crucial platform for Afghan women since the Taliban takeover, but a new investigation by Afghan Witness reveals how those who dare to speak out are facing a torrent of abuse online. The impacts are devastating for women’s political participation – both online and off.

As news of Zholia Parsi’s alleged arrest surfaced, Afghan Witness monitored the online response.

While the protest garnered widespread support on social media, the women involved were also targeted with a range of criticism and hate speech.

Afghan women and girls are seeking education opportunities outside of Afghanistan – but for many, numerous obstacles stand in their way.

Verifiable videos circulated online showing the Taliban using a water cannon and gunfire into the air to disperse protesters.

Verifiable videos circulated online showing the Taliban using a water cannon and gunfire into the air to disperse protesters.

A series of violent events in Sagaing

Over five years ago, in December 2017, I published a piece in Coda Story entitled “How Disinformation Became a New Threat to Women.” It...

Interviews with women in the sector reveal that some organisations have replaced their female directors with men to allow operations to continue, while one president of a women-focused NGO says she is using her personal savings to keep office doors open.

While one of the protesters was reportedly released the next day, women's rights protester Narges Sadat is thought to still be in detention.

Myanmar Witness launched a mixed-methods study into politically-motivated, online abuse targeting women in and from Myanmar and the impact on their lives.