Ep 92: United Against Gender Apartheid – join the campaign!

Sarah is joined by a distinguished panel contributing to the conversation on a timely and critical issue: the campaign to recognize Gender Apartheid as a crime against humanity.   

'United Against Gender Apartheid,' is discussed in detail by renowned journalist, author and campaigner, Robbyn Swan, Afghan lawyer and campaigner Mahbooba Faiz and Mahya Ostovar, a professor and long-time activist for women’s rights in Iran.  

The podcast highlights the worsening situation in Afghanistan and Iran, where women are subjected to systemic repression under legal frameworks designed to erase them from public life. The Taliban’s policies in Afghanistan and Iran’s Morality Police are cited as examples of these oppressive structures. 

This conversation is not just a legal debate—it’s a vital exploration of women's rights and the global movement to protect them. Be sure to download the episode and join the discussion! 

#unitedagainstgenderapartheid  

Mahbooba Faiz is a dedicated feminist and women’s rights activist with over six years of experience in advocating for gender equality. Her commitment to these causes intensified after escaping Afghanistan in 2021, following the Taliban's takeover and their subsequent restrictions on women's freedoms.  

Mahbooba is a two-time refugee, having first escaped Afghanistan in late 1996 when the Taliban took control of Kabul. During this time, she witnessed the harsh treatment of people, particularly women, including her mother. She is also a war victim, having lost her father during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan.  

In Ireland, Mahbooba has been an outspoken advocate, frequently appearing in the media to raise awareness about the plight of women under oppressive regimes, particularly in Afghanistan. She has worked to inform Irish society and the broader international community about the severe impact of Islamic fundamentalism on women's lives.  

Mahbooba holds a bachelor’s degree in law and has earned two master’s degrees in Law and International Studies, one from Afghanistan and one from the Republic of Ireland.  

She is married and has one child, balancing her family life with her passionate commitment to promoting women’s rights and gender equality. 

Mahya Ostovar is a women's rights activist and an assistant professor in Business Information Systems at University of Galway, Ireland. During her PhD studies in France, her research focused on campaigns against mandatory hijab in Iran—such as “My Stealthy Freedom” and “White Wednesdays.”  

Mahya was also active in the “#LetUsTalk” campaign, which demands the Western feminists and progressives to not silence the criticism of Islam, especially by Middle Eastern women, and the “#No2Hijab campaign,” which calls on Iranian women not to wear the headscarf in Iranian public.  

Her primary focus in all these activities has been the equality of women and their rights over their bodies.

Robbyn Swan is a well-known American journalist and author. Her book, The Eleventh Day: The Full Story of 9/11 and Osama Bin Laden, co-authored with her husband Anthony Summers, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History.

Robbyn has been a strong advocate for ending gender apartheid. Working alongside Mahbooba and Mahya, she has lobbied Irish representatives and organizations to keep the issue of women's rights under oppressive regimes on the political agenda.  

Her involvement with Mahbooba and Mahya highlights her dedication to global women’s rights and the push for international recognition and action against gender-based oppression. 

Contact details:  

Robbyn Swan:  swanrobbyn@yahoo.co.uk for more on #UnitedAgainstGenderApartheid. 

For more information on global campaigns to End Gender Apartheid, see the links below:  

End Gender Apartheid Today: https://endgenderapartheid.today/  

Instagram  

@endgenderapartheid.today  

@unitedagainstgenderapartheid