Afghan Biographies

Shakila Abawi Shagarf Mrs.


Name Shakila Abawi Shagarf Mrs.
Ethnic backgr. Tajik
Date of birth 1960
Function/Grade Afghan Women Judges Association (AWJA) Head
History and Biodata

Head of the Afghan Women Judges Association (AWJA) Afghan Female Judges Association (AWJA) Afghan Ladies Judges' Affiliation (AWJA):
Mrs. Marzia Basel (2006)
Mrs. Anisa Rasouli (20130904, 20150610)
Mrs. Shakila Abawi Shagarf (20160726, 20170329)
Deputy Head of the Afghan Women Judges Association (AWJA):
Mrs. Huma Alizoi (20030109)
Mrs. Judge Zuhra (20160726)
Secretary of the Afghan Women Judges Association (AWJA): 
Mrs. Shehnaz Ismailkhel (20130904)
Mrs. Zuhal Nisari Pasoon (20170329)

Director of Cultural Commission of the Association
Mrs. Nazira Sapai (20170329)
Director of Finance Commission

Mrs. Zuhal Noori Rahiq (20170329)


Background:

9 January 2003 marked the launch of Afghanistan's first association of female judges. Funded by the United Nation's Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Afghan Women Judges Association (AWJA) aims to ensure the active participation of female judges and lawyers in the judicial system, as well as to promote quality and reliable legal advice for vulnerable Afghan women countrywide.

Speaking in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the AWJA deputy director, Huma Alizoi, a graduate of Kabul University's faculty of law, with 17 years experience under her belt, told IRIN that despite the AWJA having experienced women judges and
lawyers, these had never been given the opportunity to assume higher positions.
Shakila Abawi Shagarf, head of the Afghan Women Judges' Association (AWJA), said that at the moment 260 female judge are working in Afghanistan.(20170329)


Female judges, who currently (2013) make up some 10 per cent of the total number of Afghan judges, up from three per cent five years ago. 

Afghan female judges face a range of obstacles, including being targeted by anti-government elements and social stigma, both of which have helped limit their presence to just five of Afghanistan’s provinces: Kabul, Balkh, Herat, Takhar and Baghlan.

 

Ten of the female judges are based in Balkh, five in Herat, two each in Takhar and Baghlan, with the rest based in Kabul.
 

On the security front, anti-government elements have targeted the Afghan legal sector. The latest report of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on the protection of civilians noted that four such attacks against courthouses and judicial and prosecution staff, carried out during the first six months of 2013, killed 57 and injured 145, including judges, prosecutors, legal and clerical staff.
 

On July 18th, 2012 the Afghan Women Judges Association was re-launched at a ceremony at the Supreme Court that was attended by Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Chief Justice Abdul Salam Azimi and other Afghan and U.S. Government officials. 

The Association has 186 members and has an elected leadership council, comprising a chairperson, secretary and heads of three sub-committees.


260 female judges, 225 are performing their jobs in the capital-city, Kabul, 21 in the southern Herat province, 11 in northern Balkh province and two others in Baghlan province. (20170329)
 

3. Biodata Mrs. Shakila Abawi Shagarf:

Mrs. Qazawatyar Shakeela Abawi Shagarf was born in 1960 in Kabul Province. She completed her primary education at Jamal Mina’s Girls School, her baccalaureate at Rabia Balkhi Girls High School and got her Bachelors in Sharia from Sharia Faculty of Kabul University in Jurisprodence and Law and Islamic Studies in 1983. Shagarf gained judiciary profession after completing the Judiciary Stage Course in 1986 and started working as a Judge at the Public Rights and Crimes against Local and International Security Divisions at Kabul city Regional Courts, Criminal Divisions, Civil and Public Security Division of Kabul Family and Juvenile Private Courts as well as as a Reporter of the Criminal Division at the Supreme Court.

Shakila Abawi Shagarf has been elected as the Head of Cultural Commission of the Association during the first Women Judges Association Conference. She has worked in women Judges organizing fields before electing as the Head. She worked in scheming the association’s logo, instructions and bill duties of the Commissions, preparing membership cards, programs and other cultural issues. In addition, she has participated in Seminars and Conferences related to women and has travelled to South Korea, United States and New Zealand.

She speaks Dari and English


 

 

 

Last Modified 2017-03-29
Established 2013-09-04