AHRDO and ICTJ organized an international policy advocacy program to U.S. in November 2011. This event took place before the 2^nd Bonn international conference on Afghanistan, which discussed the controversial initiative of reconciliation with the Afghan insurgent groups, and the mutual responsibilities of the Afghan government and that of the international community post-2014. The central objective of this advocacy was to draw international  attention to the situation of Afghan war victims, promote the  Transitional Justice Coordination Group's policy message, develop its international networks/partners, and most importantly to build up AHRDO's capacity to work with victims to narrativize their untold sufferings and stories. .

In this advocacy trip, AHRDO conducted theatrical performance, high-level policy meetings, cultural exchange and briefings on human rights situation in Afghanistan.

In the past three decades, Afghanistan’s people have endured the devastating impact of violence through foreign invasion, civil war, and insurgency. Though the volatile political situation in the country is a hot-button issue of international prominence, victims of the conflict have largely been excluded from the war discourse.

In this podcast, ICTJ speaks with Hadi Marifat, founder of the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO). ICTJ, AHRDO and local Afghan organizations are working together on an innovative arts-based approach to discussing Afghanistan’s conflict and transitional justice issues at the grassroots level. 

Emerging from decades of war and conflict, Afghan people have always dreamed an end to culture of impunity and establishment of rule of law, which remain central to shaping a peaceful Afghanistan with democratic governance. Transitional justice must be at the core of any peace efforts and bids to promote national reconciliation. Peace can not be ensured unless victims are provided with reparations and a public platform.   Since its establishment, Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO)  has provided participatory theater events in the country to provide opportunity for the truths to be told and heard and exploring new ways of living for the victims and survivors of thirty years of conflict in the country.

In order to promote the cause of peace, there continues to remain a great sense of need to rekindle the hopes of victims and help them survive the brutal consequences of war. Successful peace-oriented efforts can not ignore victims and survivors of conflicts. Since its establishment, Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO)  has pioneered in holding several events in the country to provide opportunity for the truths to be told, heard and exploring new ways of living for the victims and survivors of thirty years of conflict in the country.