Nobel nominee Afghan peace negotiator believes recognition will boost women's campaign

Afghan peace negotiator Fawzia Koofi is one of the four women diplomats from the Afghan government side negotiating with the Taliban leaders at peace talks that began last month in Qatar. She was also one of 318 candidates nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2020.

According to the reports, Koofi said that her nomination for the peace prize would encourage Afghan women to seek their rightful role in shaping a peaceful future for the war-torn nation. The 45-year-old Afghan peace negotiator and human rights activist, who survived two armed attacks told The Associated Press that her nomination gave her “more strength and authority so that we can better defend and represent Afghan women.” 

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Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

As per reports, Koofi is the 19th daughter of a rural village leader in northeastern Badakhshan province and holds a master’s degree in international relations and human rights from the University of Diplomacy in Geneva. In addition to this, she has been an active participant in women’s rights projects which includes maintaining schools for girls in her hometown and in Kabul. 

Earlier in August, she was reported to have survived an attack on her life with light injuries. Fawzia Koofi also escaped another armed attack prior to this in Kabul. She one of the 21-member negotiating team representing the Afghan government and has promised to safeguard the rights of Afghan women while dealing with the Taliban. 

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Meanwhile, the first round of Afghan peace talks between the government and Taliban started in Doha, Qatar last month following a deal signed between the rebel group and the United States back in February. The deal stipulated that the US will reduce its troops in Afghanistan while the government and Taliban exchanged a pre-determined number of prisoners.

The long-anticipated peace talks finally began after the Afghan government released the final batch of Taliban prisoners in August. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the first day of the Afghan peace talks in Doha and affirmed US commitment to the peace processes in the region. While the first round of the talks was hosted in Qatar, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have offered to host any future talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan.

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Inputs/Image: AP