Fawzia Koofi to deliver the 2025 Annual Justice Lecture hosted by LFJL and SOAS

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“For us, gender apartheid is not a political term, it is a reality. We fight for peace. We fight for co-existence.”

Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) and the Centre for Human Rights Law at SOAS,University of London are honoured to announce that Fawzia Koofi, inspirational Afghan women’s rights activist, peace negotiator and former politician, will deliver the 2025 Annual Justice Lecture.

This year’s Lecture, Justice, interrupted: Reclaiming women’s rights in the face of gender apartheid, will take place on Tuesday 28 January 2025 at SOAS University of London. Doors will open at 6.00 pm for a reception in Senate House, followed by the Lecture in the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre at 7.00 pm.

The Annual Justice Lecture invites leading legal and human rights experts to draw on their international experience and explore urgent questions of justice, both in Libya and in a global context.

In light of the global deterioration of women’s rights, rampant cases of violence against women, including femicide, and the amplification of openly misogynistic public figures in the mainstream, the threat of gender apartheid – defined as the systemic oppression and discrimination of persons based on their gender – is worldwide.

In Libya, the freedom, safety and livelihood of women remain under grave threat. Women’s ability to work, travel, and socialise is being increasingly restricted by the proposed introduction of mandatory hijab and male guardianship. Elsewhere, as in Libya, politicians continue to dismiss or actively obstruct the voices and efforts of women for equality and justice, as seen with the re-election of Donald Trump, demonstrating that the threat of gender apartheid is not limited to the global south.

As an expert on parliamentary women’s rights and a leading advocate of the global End Gender Apartheid campaign, Fawzia Koofi, drawing on her extensive experience in Afghanistan, will explore what can be done to reclaim women’s voices globally. The first female Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, Fawzia Koofi holds a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for her contribution to the 2020 peace negotiation with the Taliban and wider women’s rights advocacy.

LFJL’s Executive Director Elham Saudi said: “We are thrilled and honoured to welcome Fawzia Koofi to deliver this year’s Annual Justice Lecture. It is an invaluable opportunity to explore the concerning regression in women’s rights globally, including in Libya, and effective strategies to counter it. Ms Koofi’s heartening optimism and candid disposition will enable us to reflect on how best we can contribute to shaping a safe and strong future for women in Libya and beyond.”

Professor Lutz Oette, Director of the Centre for Human Rights Law at SOAS, said: “Her activism, high profile roles and many contributions make Fawzia Koofi uniquely placed both to highlight the challenge posed by gender apartheid worldwide, and to share valuable experiences in the struggle for women’s rights.”

We welcome you to join us on this special evening. ‍

‍Get your tickets here.

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Notes to editors

Tickets are free to encourage participation by all. We kindly encourage attendees to donate to support LFJL in its ongoing work for human rights and justice in Libya.

The event will be live streamed on LFJL’s Facebook page with interpretation for Arabic-speakers.

LFJL was established in 2011 in response to the 17 February 2011 uprising in Libya. Dedicated to advancing transformative justice in Libya, it exists and works towards a bottom-up, grassroots approach that fosters systemic change, encouraging impact that is inclusive and equitable for all people in Libya.

The Centre for Human Rights Law at SOAS, University of London, seeks to advance research and the teaching of human rights law and engages in standard setting and policy-making processes concerning the protection of human rights.

Previous Annual Justice Lectures can be found on LFJL’s Youtube channel.

For more information, email us at: info@libyanjustice.org