RAHYAB Initiative Launches Report on the Situation of People with Disabilities in Afghanistan in London
On Tuesday, October 14, the RAHYAB Initiative launched its latest report titled “The Human Rights Situation of People with Disabilities in Afghanistan (2021–2025)” at the University of Notre Dame in London, Trafalgar Hall, United Kingdom.
The event, held under the slogan “Capability defines a person, not disability!”, focused on the challenges faced by people with disabilities in Afghanistan under Taliban rule and the far-reaching impact on their human rights.
Several prominent figures participated in the event, including Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan; Benafsha Yaqoobi, President of RAHYAB; Professor Tom Shakespeare from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Shahrzad Akbar, Executive Director of Rawadari; Freshteh Abbasi, Asia Researcher at Human Rights Watch; Sadiq Mohibi, Board Member of RAHYAB; and Mehdi Salami, Deputy of RAHYAB.
The session was moderated by Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent.
At the beginning of the session, Benafsha Yaqoobi stated that since the Taliban came to power, the situation of people with disabilities has worsened, and many lack access to essential services such as healthcare, social protection, and education. She also emphasized that this is the first study of its kind in this area since 2021 and expressed hope that more research will be conducted in the future.
