WCW International Scholar-in-Residence Pashtana Durrani, M.Ed., has been honored by Amnesty International USA with the Ginetta Sagan Award. This award recognizes and assists women who are working to protect the liberty and lives of women and children in areas where human rights violations are widespread.
Durrani is the founder of LEARN Afghan, Afghanistan’s first digital school network—now operating underground to provide safe learning environments for girls under Taliban rule. She is also the author of Last to Eat, Last to Learn, a memoir chronicling her journey and the founding of LEARN Afghan. Her leadership and advocacy have been globally recognized, with honors such as the Global Education Champion by the Malala Fund, BBC 100 Women, UN Young Activists Award, Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, and the Women’s Excellence Award from the World Economic Forum. Her lived experience and deep understanding of Afghanistan’s social and political context inform LEARN’s strategy and daily implementation.
The Ginetta Sagan Award emphasizes that more human rights work must be done by and for women. The annual award is given in recognition of individual accomplishment but also in the belief that it will serve as a beacon of hope to women everywhere who are fighting for human rights. The award is intended to help women throughout the world in their struggle to overcome oppression, to let them know that they are not alone.
