Ms Rahmani will speak of her current work to establish the first Women’s Empowerment Centre at an Afghan academic institution, and highlight the issues for women seeking tertiary education in Afghanistan. She will discuss the challenges facing women to gain entry to public and private universities, and her work to support women to achieve economic independence and potential leadership positions.
“The Peace Scholarship I received from UN Women …… completely changed my life. Now I want to do the same for young women in my country. I know how much a scholarship and opportunity to study will change their lives forever. It will give them freedom to get a job and freedom to have a future. This is what the scholarship did for me.”Ms Rahmani will also touch on her work with Action Aid Afghanistan from 2007 – 2010 to establish Local Rights Programs and Paralegal Training in Balkh, Jawzjan, Bamyan and Herat Provinces. 
Nasima Rahmani is a Lecturer in Law & Director, Women’s Empowerment Center (WEC) at the Gawharshad Institute of Higher Education (GIHE) in Kabul Afghanistan.  She came to Australia in 2006 as the first Afghan Peace Scholar, having graduated in law from Kabul University.  Her personal story in Afghanistan has been challenging, from both a family and professional perspective.  She took 12 years to complete her law degree from 1991 – 2003 with a gap of 9 years due to internal conflicts in Afghanistan.  Upon her return to Afghanistan she worked with ActionAID on women’s rights providing access to paralegal support to women in the provinces. In March 2011, she visited Australia sponsored by ActionAID to promote their work.  She has subsequently visited a number of countries by invitation to attend gender equity and human rights conferences. In 2011 Ms Rahmani was asked by Professor Sima Samar, the Independent Human Rights Commissioner in Afghanistan, to open the Women’s Empowerment Centre (WEC) at the Garwashad Institute of Higher Education (GIHE).  She is building a substantial scholarship program at GIHE and the Indigo Foundation.
Ms Libby Lloyd AM  is Patron of the Indigo Foundation and is supporting both the WEC and the scholarships. 

Acceptances appreciated
E cais@anu.edu.au
T 02 61254982

This lecture is free and open to the public.