Coordination
Convening civil society organisations into a unified, rights-based movement across provinces.
Est. 2007 · Kabul
The right to be heard,
seen, and safe.
CSHRN is an independent Afghan network of civil society organisations documenting violations, defending defenders, and advancing the rule of law — for every person, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or belief.
- 2007
- Founded
- 140+
- Member organisations
- 34
- Provinces reached
- 12
- International partners
Herat · 2026 · field documentation
№ 047
§ 01Impact in numbers
Nearly two decades on the front line of Afghan civil society.
Figures reflect cumulative CSHRN activity across coordination, monitoring, capacity building, and advocacy.
- 18+
- Years defending rights
- 620+
- HRDs supported
- 340
- Statements & reports
- 1,200+
- Defenders trained
Since 2007
Cumulative
Published
Across 34 provinces
Defending defenders✻Documenting violations✻Convening civil society✻Advancing the rule of law✻Amplifying Afghan voices✻Defending defenders✻Documenting violations✻Convening civil society✻Advancing the rule of law✻Amplifying Afghan voices✻Defending defenders✻Documenting violations✻Convening civil society✻Advancing the rule of law✻Amplifying Afghan voices✻
§ 02Who we are
A network built on the conviction that rights are not granted — they are claimed.
Mission
To establish a capable human rights movement by strengthening rights-based civil society, promoting human rights values, monitoring the human rights situation, and influencing policy — toward a society grounded in democracy and the rule of law for every person in Afghanistan.
Vision
A society where the state — regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, social or political orientation — provides equal opportunities for all, and where people are aware of their rights and claim them in safety and dignity.
Objectives
Five key result areas — coordinate the network, build professional capacity, attract qualified members, raise public awareness, and advocate on the human rights issues that most demand action.
§ 03Flagship publication
CSHRN / HRD+Vol. 07 · 2026
The State of Human Rights in Afghanistan
Annual review · 148 pages
An annual accounting of the rights upheld, denied, and defended.
Drawing on field documentation from CSHRN member organisations across 34 provinces, this year's report examines the suppression of protest, the situation of women and minorities, and the shrinking space for civic action.
- Period
- 2025 – 2026
- Contributors
- 42 organisations
- Languages
- EN · DR · PS
§ 04What we do
Active projects.
05 disciplines · 01 movement
Human Rights Monitoring
Independent documentation of violations — from arbitrary detention to suppression of protest.
Public Awareness
Equipping communities to know their rights and claim them in safety and dignity.
Capacity Building
Training defenders, lawyers, and journalists to sustain the work under pressure.
Advocacy
Influencing policy at home and amplifying Afghan voices in international forums.
§ 05Live monitoring
Situation tracker.
Incidents documented in the field by CSHRN and member organisations. Updated as verification allows.
View full log- Critical18 Jun 2026 HeratDetention
Women and girls detained in Jebrail area amid escalating restrictions.
- Critical11 Jun 2026 HeratProtest suppression
Violent dispersal of women-led protest documented by field team.
- Elevated07 Jun 2026 KabulAttack on HRD
Human rights defender received targeted threats after public statement.
- Elevated02 Jun 2026 BamyanRestriction
New administrative order limits civil society gatherings in the province.
§ 06News & Events
Statements & dispatches
14 August 2026
Policy Brief: Five Years Under Taliban Rule (2021-2026)
Five years after the Taliban returned to power on 15 August 2021, Afghanistan has undergone one of the most profound reversals of human rights in its contemporary history. Along with the international community rightly f…
Read more
24 July 2026
Call for Input from Civil Society Supporting the Operationalization of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan (IIMA)
Background The establishment of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan (IIMA) by the United Nations Human Rights Council marks a historic milestone in advancing accountability for serious human rights vi…
Read more
19 June 2026
A public call to end Khurram Parvez’ arbitrary detention
(18 June 2026) On his 49th birthday, his fifth while arbitrarily detained, we, the undersigned organisations and individuals, stand in solidarity with human rights defender Khurram Parvez. We demand that the Indian autho…
Read more
11 June 2026
HRD+ Statement on the Suppression of Protests in Herat and Widespread Human Rights Violations
11.06.2026 Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) is following with deep concern the developments of recent days in Herat Province and strongly condemns the violent suppression of protesting citizens, the arbitrary detention…
Read more§ 07Voices
What partners and defenders say about the work.
“CSHRN has been an indispensable bridge between Afghan defenders and the international community — rigorous, principled, and unflinching.”
Gerald Staberock
Secretary General, OMCT
“Their documentation gave our reporting the ground truth we could not have obtained alone. The work is careful, and the courage behind it is considerable.”
International researcher
Human rights INGO
“As a young defender, the training I received through the network changed how I understand my own safety and my duty to others.”
Zahra M.
Human rights defender, Bamyan
§ 08Leadership
The people who carry the work.
A small, committed team steering the network through advocacy, operations, and the daily work of defending rights.
Full Name
Role / Title
Short biography to be provided. This placeholder will be replaced with the member's background, expertise, and contribution to the network.
Full Name
Role / Title
Short biography to be provided. This placeholder will be replaced with the member's background, expertise, and contribution to the network.
Full Name
Role / Title
Short biography to be provided. This placeholder will be replaced with the member's background, expertise, and contribution to the network.
§ 09By the numbers
A decade of presence, documented.
Activities summary across press releases, advocacy programs, and public communications — a transparent record of the network's throughput year by year.
PostsPressAdvocacy
2014
3
5
7
2016
90
20
8
2018
20
80
70
2019
100
50
87
2020
100
110
105
§ 10Library
Resources & publications.
A working library for researchers, journalists, and defenders — open, cited, and free to reuse under attribution.
128entries
Reports
Annual reviews, thematic reports, and situation analyses from the field.
64entries
Policy briefs
Concise recommendations for policymakers, donors, and international bodies.
22entries
Training manuals
Curricula and guides for defenders, journalists, and civil society leaders.
§ 11Convenings
Events & conferences.
- 10 Dec 2026GenevaUpcoming
Strategic Dialogue of Afghan HRDs — Second Round: Accountability & Protection
Switzerland · with OMCT & Yaar e.V.
- 22 Sep 2026BerlinUpcoming
Roundtable: The situation of women and minorities under de-facto authorities
Germany · with HRD+
- 10 Dec 2023BerlinPast
Prospects of Human Rights Defenders of Afghanistan — First Round
Germany · with OMCT, Yaar e.V., HRD+
§ 12Partners & donors
Sustained by an international community of conscience.
§ 13Take action
The work only holds when it is shared.
Three ways to move with us — whether you have information to report, an organisation to join, or a story to tell.
For defenders & witnesses
Report a human rights violation
Submit a confidential report. Our monitoring team reviews every submission with care and discretion.
For civil society
Become a member organisation
Join a national network of 140+ organisations coordinating on rights, protection, and advocacy.
For media
Press & media inquiries
Interview requests, expert commentary, and access to our documentation for accredited journalists.