Razia is currently pursuing a PhD in Law and Legal Studies with a focus on Human Rights and Global Justice at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She also holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Kabul University.
Razia is a dedicated human rights lawyer and activist from Afghanistan, with over 17 years of experience in promoting justice, documenting human rights violations, conducting research, and advocating for the rights of vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.
She has worked with various national and international institutions, including the Human Rights Support Directorate of the Ministry of Justice, the Justice Sector Support Program (JSSP), the Law Directorate of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Rule of Law Project of USAID, and the Civil Society and Human Rights Network in Afghanistan. From 2019 to 2021, she served as the Child Rights Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), where she led efforts to promote and protect the rights of children across the country.
Following the events of August 2021, Razia was forced to leave Afghanistan but has continued her work in the advancement of human rights and women’s rights. Since then, she has served as a Consultant with the Asia Pacific Forum (APF), assisting in the resettlement of AIHRC staff into safe countries, as a Sharia Law Specialist with the UN Women’s Afghanistan country office, and as a Consultant with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), contributing to a landmark report on gender-based discrimination in Afghanistan as part of the SR Afghanistan team.
According to Razia, joining RWI presents a unique opportunity for her to combine her practical experience with academic expertise in addressing human rights challenges from theoretical and applied perspectives.