Who is Rina Amiri? The Special Envoy For Afghan Women

Who is Rina Amiri? Recently, the United States of America (USA) appointed Rina Amiri as an envoy to defend the rights of Afghan women.

The step was taken by the USA to control the stringent restrictions imposed on Afghan women by the Taliban. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had announced the appointment of Rina Amiri as the special envoy.

"We desire a peaceful, stable and secure Afghanistan, where all Afghans can live and thrive in political, economic, and social inclusivity," said Blinken.

On December 26, 2021, the Afghanistan authorities passed a circular that stated that women will not be allowed to travel more than 72 kilometres without a male relative with them.

Heather Barr, The Associate Director of women's rights told, "This new order essentially moves… further in the direction of making women prisoners.” Heather Barr added, “It shuts off opportunities for them to be able to move about freely, to travel to another city, to do business, to be able to flee if they are facing violence in the home.”

Who is Rina Amiri, the envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights?

Amiri is an Afghan-born US scholar and an expert in mediation. She served at the US State Department under the former President of US Barack Obama.

Amiri has spent two decades advising governments and the United Nations on Afghanistan issues.

She did her Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy, Mediation, International from Tufts University - The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

She is a  Senior Fellow, Center for Global Affairs, New York University.

She has been a UN Senior Mediation Advisor for about ten years.

She was the US Department of State's Senior Advisor from June 2009 to May 2012.

She was a Political Officer/ Advisor at United Nations from May 2022 to May 2006 and a Consultant in UNESCO for two months January 2002 to February 2002 (Afghanistan).

Amiri was a Senior Research Advisor at Harvard University for about five years from March 1997 to December 2001.

Amiri directs the Afghanistan and Regional Policy Initiative at NYU, which serves as a platform to raise awareness about Afghanistan and the region’s peace, security, and development challenges.

She served as a senior advisor to the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ms. Amiri also served as a member of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General’s political team in Afghanistan during the course of the implementation of the Bonn Agreement.

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US Appoints Rina Amiri As Special Envoy For Afghan Women