Important Note: Location changed to Istanbul and extended deadline to 31 March.
Call for Proposals - “Transitional Justice and Minorities in Afghanistan: Future Prospects and Comparative Experiences” Organized by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI)
Date: 23-27 June 2025 Location: Istanbul
About the Conference
RWI is pleased to announce an upcoming international conference "Transitional Justice and Minorities in Afghanistan: Future Prospects and Comparative Experiences". The term minorities is here used in accordance with the following UN definition: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-minority-issues/about-minorities-and-human-rights
This event will bring together leading scholars, practitioners, and experts to critically examine the evolving human rights landscape in Afghanistan, with a particular focus on transitional justice and the protection of minorities.
The conference aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and knowledge exchange, bridging academic research with practical solutions. By drawing on comparative experiences from other post-conflict societies, the conference will explore potential accountability mechanisms, transitional justice processes, and strategies for inclusion and minority protection in Afghanistan. We invite Afghan scholars and scholars specialized in Afghanistan, civil society representatives, and practitioners to apply.
Conference overview and focus
RWI is an independent academic institute that currently is implementing a human rights programme on Afghanistan (2024-2026) with the overall objective “to contribute to strengthened conditions for inclusive governance, peace, and respect for human rights and gender equality in Afghanistan”. In order to reach this objective, one particular result that the programme aims to achieve is to increase scholarship and academic discourse on the human rights situation in the country. Aligned with these goals, RWI is organizing a research conference that aims to explore key human rights issues related to the current situation in the country. Please see the RWI website for more information about our Afghanistan programme.
This conference will focus on transitional justice and minority rights in Afghanistan, examining the key human rights challenges at stake. While the primary emphasis will be on the Afghan context, comparative perspectives from other countries facing similar challenges will be explored to offer valuable insights and lessons.
Bringing together academics, researchers, and practitioners, the event will serve as a platform for critical discussions, the exchange of best practices, and the development of practical solutions for justice and inclusion in Afghanistan.
Conference themes
We welcome abstracts addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
Transitional Justice in Afghanistan
- Truth-seeking, reparations, and reconciliation in post-conflict societies
- Accountability mechanisms for human rights violations
- Lessons from transitional justice efforts in other countries
Minority Rights and Inclusion
- The situation of ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities under Taliban rule and/or from a historical perspective. This includes but it not limited to Hazara/Shia, Uzbek, Turkmen and Hindu/Sikh minorities.
- Strategies for minority rights protection in Afghanistan and beyond
- Comparative analysis of minority protection frameworks
The Interaction of Transitional Justice and Minority Rights
- Addressing past injustices and discrimination against minorities through transitional justice mechanisms
- The role of minority communities in truth-seeking, reparations, and reconciliation processes
- Case studies of transitional justice efforts that have included or excluded minority perspectives
Intersectionality: Gender, Justice, and Inclusion
- The role of ethnic and religious minority group women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and gender-diverse groups in transitional justice processes
- Gender-based violence and structural discrimination in access to justice related to ethnic and religious minorities.
- Case studies on gendered experiences of ethnic and religious minorities of conflict and justice in post-conflict settings
Comparative Experiences in Human Rights and Justice
- International legal responses to systemic human rights violations
- Accountability mechanisms and international interventions
- Lessons from truth commissions, hybrid courts, and other models
Participant eligibility
This conference is open to Afghan scholars and practitioners, and experts specializing in Afghanistan, as well as those able to provide comparative perspectives on human rights issues affecting minorities and transitional justice processes from non-Afghan contexts.
Submission guidelines
We invite scholars, researchers, practitioners, and activists to submit abstracts for paper presentations addressing one (or more) of the themes outlined above. Abstracts should critically engage with the thematic focus area(s) and propose innovative approaches, empirical research, or theoretical insights.
- Abstract length: Max 300 words
- Biographical statement: Max 100 words (including affiliation and expertise)
- Indicate: Whether participation will be in-person or online. Please note that the organizers will prioritize in-person participation.
Deadline for submissions: 31 March 2025 Notification of acceptance: 20 April 2025
Financial support
The organizers will provide selected presenters with Afghan nationality financial support needed to participate in the conference. This support includes coverage of travel expenses, accommodation, and per diem allowances throughout the duration of the conference. Financial support for non-Afghan participants may be provided if the participant is unable to self-finance.
For questions, please contact: David Eile at david.eile@rwi.lu.se
David Eile