The International Afghan Enlightened Women (IAEW) initiative was founded in 2018 with a simple but urgent mission: to support Afghan women through awareness, education, and community solidarity. In 2020, the organization was officially registered in Kabul, allowing it to expand its activities and strengthen its support network. However, following the political changes in Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban in August 2021, the organization sought legal registration in Malmö, Sweden, in order to continue its work safely and sustainably.
Despite ongoing challenges, IAEW has continued its activities through the dedication of its volunteer members. The organization works closely with women and communities across Afghanistan while also expanding its reach to remote and underserved areas where women face significant barriers to education, healthcare, and social participation.
In its early years, IAEW focused primarily on raising awareness about women’s rights and providing emergency support to vulnerable families, particularly women who were the sole providers for their households. The organization assisted mothers struggling to access medical treatment for their children and offered humanitarian support whenever possible. However, as the number of women seeking assistance increased, it became evident that sustainable empowerment through education would have a greater long-term impact.
As a result, in 2019 the organization shifted its primary focus toward supporting women’s higher education. Through private donations from leadership members and supporters, IAEW began financially assisting female students pursuing studies in fields such as midwifery, nursing, dentistry, and psychology at private universities.
Over the years, the organization has supported women who successfully completed their studies and continues to assist students despite the growing restrictions affecting women’s access to education. In 2025, the organization once again paid tuition fees in the hope that students would be allowed to continue their education. Although some students have temporarily resumed classes, their academic future remains uncertain under the current conditions.
Beyond financial support, IAEW also organizes online lectures and discussions on democracy, women’s rights, and social awareness through Zoom platforms. These sessions create opportunities for learning, dialogue, and solidarity among Afghan women across different communities and diasporic networks.
Internationally, the organization has developed a growing network of members and leadership representatives based in Sweden, Germany, the United States, Canada, Russia, and other countries. More recently, IAEW has expanded its activities to support Afghan migrant women in Sweden by offering Swedish language classes alongside mother-tongue education. These efforts aim to help women integrate into their new societies while preserving cultural identity and connection to their heritage.
The organization also participates in an ERASMUS initiative focused on mother-tongue literacy for adults who were previously denied access to education in their home countries. Through these collaborations, IAEW continues to strengthen its commitment to inclusive education and community empowerment.
At its core, IAEW is deeply rooted in feminist values and intersectional understanding. The organization recognizes that Afghan women often experience overlapping forms of marginalization shaped by gender, displacement, economic inequality, and limited access to education. Despite limited resources and ongoing challenges, IAEW remains committed to creating meaningful change by supporting Afghan women both within Afghanistan and throughout the global diaspora.
Through education, solidarity, and collective action, International Afghan Enlightened Women continues to work toward a future in which Afghan women can learn, lead, and live with dignity.