Physical Address
FRANKFURT, GERMANY.
On 8 August 2026, a protest and solidarity rally in support of the women and girls of Afghanistan was held at Hauptwache, in the heart of Frankfurt, Germany.
The event was initiated and organized by Afghanistan Spiegel and the Afghanistan Group of Amnesty International Frankfurt. Alongside the organizers, human rights activists from Afghanistan, Iran, and other countries in the region, activists from various cities across Germany, as well as Afghan and German citizens, gathered to raise their voices in protest against the widespread violations of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The presence of people from different backgrounds and nationalities at the rally conveyed a clear message: defending the rights of Afghan women is not the responsibility of Afghans alone; defending human dignity and human rights is a responsibility that transcends borders and nationalities.
Afghanistan and Its Women Must Not Be Forgotten
The main focus of the rally was the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and the systematic restrictions imposed on their lives since the Taliban returned to power.
Speeches at the event addressed the exclusion of girls from education, restrictions on women’s employment and freedom of movement, the severe reduction of their ability to participate in society and public life, as well as the suppression of freedom of expression, the media, civil society activists, and critics.
The official text of the event also emphasized the extensive restrictions imposed on women, ranging from restrictions on freedom of movement and education to employment and adequate access to healthcare.
The message of the rally was clear:
Women’s rights are not negotiable.
Women’s rights are human rights.
And human rights know no borders, nationalities, or gender.
The Right to Education and the Fight Against Child Marriage
One of the main issues addressed at the event was the deprivation of Afghan girls of their right to education and the growing risk of child marriage and forced marriage.
During the Persian-language speech, those present were asked to imagine a twelve-year-old girl who wakes up in the morning, takes her schoolbag, and prepares to go to school with dreams of becoming a doctor, a teacher, or an engineer—only to be suddenly told: “Today is your wedding day.”
At that moment, it is not only the school door that closes before her; the door to part of that child’s future closes as well.
The message of the speech was unequivocal: Child marriage is not a tradition; it is a clear violation of human rights. No child should be forced into marriage before having the opportunity to understand and shape their own life, and no girl should be deprived of her right to education.
It was also emphasized that education is not merely about learning to read and write. Education plays a fundamental role in shaping a child’s personality, self-confidence, decision-making ability, and hope for the future. Depriving girls of education does not simply mean taking school away from them; it means restricting their ability to build an independent future.
Street Theatre: Protest in Full Public View
One of the most prominent and impactful parts of the Frankfurt rally was a street theatre performance by colleagues and activists participating in the event.
The performance took the protest beyond speeches and statements and brought the message of the event directly into the public space and to passers-by at Hauptwache.
The organizers and activists present at the event each took responsibility for different parts of this collective action, and the street theatre performance formed part of this shared effort to highlight the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
At a time when millions of women and girls inside Afghanistan are denied the opportunity to participate freely in public life and to express their demands openly, bringing their voices to the streets and public spaces of Europe is part of the responsibility undertaken by human rights activists.
Protest Against Forced Marriage and Child Marriage
Another part of the rally specifically addressed the issues of forced marriage and child marriage.
The petition presented at the event warned about Taliban Decree No. 18, issued in May 2026. According to the analysis reflected in the petition, these regulations make it more difficult for women and girls to escape forced marriages and contribute to the institutionalization and normalization of forced child marriage.
Citizens attending the rally were encouraged to support the demands by signing the petitions and not to remain indifferent to violations of the rights of women and children in Afghanistan.
Afghans at Risk in Pakistan Must Not Be Forgotten Either
The Frankfurt rally was not limited to the situation inside Afghanistan.
Another issue raised at the event was the fate of Afghans at risk in Pakistan who, despite having been approved for admission to Germany, are still waiting for a safe departure.
The related petition called on the German government to bring those with admission approvals to Germany before they face the risk of deportation to Afghanistan, and to provide the necessary resources for issuing visas, conducting security checks, and continuing the process of their transfer to Germany.
A Joint Movement Beyond Borders
The 8 August rally at Hauptwache in Frankfurt demonstrated that the issue of Afghan women’s rights is not confined to the borders of Afghanistan.
Afghans, Germans, human rights activists from Iran and other countries, as well as activists from different cities across Germany, stood together.
Through speeches, street theatre, petitions, and conversations with members of the public, they sought to keep one fundamental demand alive in the public sphere:
The international community must not accept the normalization of the exclusion of Afghan women from education, employment, and social life.
The closing statement of the event also emphasized that the right to education, the right to work, and the right to participate in society are fundamental human rights. The rights of women and girls must neither be negotiated away nor ignored, and human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society activists must be protected and supported.
The Protest Continues: 15 August in Bonn
The Frankfurt rally is not the end of this movement.
This protest movement and expression of solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan will continue on 15 August 2026 in Bonn, Germany.
15 August is a symbolic and painful date in Afghanistan’s recent history. On 15 August 2021, Kabul fell to the Taliban, and the lives of millions of Afghan citizens—particularly women and girls—entered a profoundly different period.
The official text of the event likewise describes 15 August not only as a dark turning point in Afghanistan’s recent history, but also as a symbol of the collapse of hope and freedom for millions of Afghan women and girls.
For this reason, the continuation of the protest on 15 August carries a clear message:
Do not forget the women of Afghanistan.
Do not forget the girls who have been deprived of school and university.
And do not allow the systematic violation of their rights to become a normalized and accepted reality.
This movement will continue because, as emphasized in the closing statement of the rally, solidarity is not merely a message; it is a commitment to defending human rights and human dignity.
As long as the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan continue to be violated, the voices of protest and solidarity must continue to be heard.
