<p><span class="p-body">The efficacy of existing global human rights and political and diplomatic tools for addressing Afghanistan’s unprecedented women’s rights was top of the agenda at a UN Expert Group Meeting in 2023. Two NYU SPS CGA MS students had front-row seats in the proceedings and assisted with a critical report presented at the session in Istanbul.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Marta Savedra and Sara Zabihi, graduate students in the NYU CGA Summer course Gender and Development, taught by Anne Marie Goetz, clinical professor at the NYU SPS CGA, were invited to Istanbul to be rapporteurs (i.e., report compilers) and contributors on the final report <a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2023/09/expert-group-meeting-report-international-strategies-and-tools-to-address-the-situation-of-women-and-girls-in-afghanistan" target="_blank">International Strategies and Tools to Address the Situation of Women and Girls in Afghanistan</a>.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">The UN Women Kabul country office invited the students, in recognition of their work, to develop an annotated bibliography on the topic of gender apartheid. This topic is a concept in international law and diplomacy, which is increasingly being used to describe the situation of state-sponsored extreme misogyny in Afghanistan under the de facto Taliban authorities.</span></p>

<p><span class="p-body">Saavedra describes the experience: “Throughout the enriching sessions, we actively engaged as team members, aiding the reporters. [Participation included] meaningful discussions with extraordinary women and absorbing a wealth of knowledge from their profound expertise.”</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">According to Zabihi, “The meeting exemplified how a diverse range of perspectives is essential to addressing global challenges, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed such an important multilateral discussion in action. I left Istanbul feeling incredibly inspired by the accomplished practitioners we heard from”. The preparation and report support work is an example of direct, real-time engagement by NYU SPS CGA students in contemporary policy challenges central to global affairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <h6 class="h6"><span class="p-body">Explore Our Concentration in Global Gender Studies</span></h6> <p><span class="p-body">Through seminars, global field intensives, internships, and practical research projects, such as this UN research project, NYU SPS CGA’s concentration in global gender studies covers a wide range of topics, including:</span></p> <ul class="p-list"> <li><span class="p-body">Feminist theory</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Development</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Migration</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Refugees and displaced people</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Conflict and peacebuilding</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Women’s international human rights</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">LGBTQ rights</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Women’s rights in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Corporate social responsibility</span></li> <li><span class="p-body">Social impact entrepreneurship</span></li> </ul> <p><span class="p-body">To learn more about the concentration in Global Gender Studies, visit <a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/center-for-global-affairs.html">NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs</a>.</span></p>