NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs Announces Recipients of Afghan Crisis Fellowship

One-time, Non-Resident Fellowship will Allow Three Afghan Evacuees who are Engaged in Work Related to Human Rights, Women’s Rights, and/or Social Justice, to Pursue Research and Writing at the NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs

New York, NY - The August 2021 emergency evacuation of Afghans triggered by the rapid Taliban take-over, has created a refugee crisis with tens of thousands of Afghan refugees, some of whom have, in the months since the beginning of the crisis, reached and settled in the United States. Many of these evacuees are human rights defenders and policy-makers working on democracy, peace, and equality.

As an emergency contribution to this crisis, the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Center for Global Affairs (CGA), with the commitment of funds from NYU SPS Dean Angie Kamath, created a one-time opportunity for three eligible evacuees to receive a $25,000 non-resident academic fellowship.

“The NYU School of Professional Studies and the Center for Global Affairs have a long tradition of helping to support leaders engaged in critical system change work often in areas and disciplines that are difficult and often in a landscape of crisis. It was our intention, with the funding of these Afghan Crisis Fellowships, to ensure that those Afghans who have been displaced and who are working for human rights, women’s rights, and social justice, among other causes, could continue with these critical efforts and be supported by a community of like-minded advocates, intellectuals, and changemakers. It brings us great pride to welcome these leaders into our community,” said Dean Kamath.

The NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs recently announced the recipients of these Afghan Crisis Fellowships, who will pursue research, writing, and advocacy work at the Center for Global Affairs in New York City. “These recipients were selected from a wide set of applicants who had to leave Afghanistan because their work on issues such as women’s rights, ethnic diversity, democracy, and justice made them targets of the Taliban de facto authorities. As Fellows, they will work with CGA faculty sponsors to continue their pursuit of justice and peace in Afghanistan and elsewhere,” said Anne Marie Goetz, PhD, a clinical professor at the Center for Global Affairs and a member of the faculty team that oversaw each phase of the selection process.

Afghan Crisis Fellowship Recipients

Hamed Ahmadi is a blogger, journalist, and peacebuilder from Afghanistan who has contributed to Reporterly–a local English news outlet in Kabul–as well as the International Psychosocial Organization. As a CGA Fellow, he will monitor the human rights situation of a specific ethnic group, the Hazaras, and will contribute to the work of relevant human rights actors at the national, regional, and international levels.

Metra Mehran is a human rights activist from Afghanistan with a focus on women’s empowerment, human rights, justice, media, and political accountability. She co-founded the ‘Feminine Perspectives Movement’ ahead of Intra-Afghan peace negotiations. As a CGA Fellow, she aims to provide a platform for women across Afghanistan to raise their voices for the protection of their fundamental rights and to ensure women’s perspectives are reflected in any conflict resolution processes for her country.

Roya Saqib is a social justice and women’s rights advocate who has advised the Afghan government (including as a technical assistant to the president) and international organizations, on promoting women's rights, good governance, and sustainable development. As a CGA Fellow, she will examine the impact of the current instability on the lives of Afghan youth. Through her research, writing, and advocacy, she hopes to inform the international policy community about investments needed for future generations of Afghans to live in communities free of fear and violence.

The Fellows will begin their work during the Spring 2022 semester.

Reporters who have questions and are interested in covering this story, please reach out to Michael DeMeo at: md1122@nyu.edu or Paola Curcio-Kleinman at: pck211@nyu.edu