Ms. Roshan Sirran is widely recognized in Afghanistan and internationally as one of the leading voices for Afghan women’s rights. Through various roles, she has 40 years of experience fighting for the rights of Afghan women; as an NGO leader, an advocate, an elected legislator, a municipal worker, an education director, a trainer, and a writer.
Sirran has served as the Women’s Advocacy Training Consultant for IFES’ Support for Increased Electoral Participation (SIEP) program in Afghanistan for three years. Ms. Roshan is the founder and Executive Director of Training Human Rights Association for Afghan Women (THRA), which is a leading non-political and non-profit organization working for Afghan women’s capacity development, gender, elections and advocacy. She has designed and implemented countless women’s rights advocacy and outreach programs across the country, including complex face-to-face education and training of trainers programs.
Sirran spoke on the rights of women and interests of civil society leaders of Afghanistan at the Bonn 2 Conference in Bonn, Germany in December, 2011 and observed elections in some countries as an international observer. She maintains a long history as an outspoken advocate on both the national and international stage, advocating for women’s rights at Afghanistan’s formative traditional Loya Jirgas and speaking on struggles of Afghan women at events in 15 different countries. Her efforts have brought forth numerous civil society networks and organizations, including the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CHRN), Afghan Civil Society Organizations Network for Peace (ACSONP), Afghan Women's Network (AWN), the Free and Fair Elections Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) and Afghanistan Civil Society Elections Network (ACSEN).
Training Human Rights Association (THRA) is an AICS certified non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization working in the areas of advocacy, capacity development, gender, elections, awareness and prevention of violence against women. Founded in1997, THRA is led and staffed by Afghan women. THRA’s focus is to raise communities’ awareness of women’s rights based on Universal Declaration of Human rights, UN conventions as well as women’s Islamic rights.
THRA supports Afghan women recognize and claim their rights and empower them to realize their social, political and economic rights. We believe in women’s equality with men and consider women’s education and awareness of their rights essential for their realization of the human rights. We promote women’s economic, social and political participation in all spheres of Afghanistan’s development. THRA began its work in Kabul and Nangarhar. As per need, THRA worked through projects in provinces such as Nangarhar, Nuristan, Logar, Parwan, Kunar, Paktiya, Herat, Kapisa, Laghman, Mazar, Wardak and Ghazni. THRA implements programs for women’s capacity development in areas of computer, literacy and vocational trainings such as sewing for girls and young women in Nangarhar. THRA was a member organization of a collaborative project of developing human rights handbook in a group of three organizations. THRA with support of Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) trained 40 master trainers from four zones (North, North West, east and central zone) of Afghanistan. THRA is providing Training of Trainers using the human rights hand book. THRA has its main office in Kabul and a sub-office in Nangarhar province.
THRA has received financial support from a wide range of donors so far. The organization has been supported financially by British Embassy, Rights and Democracy, GTZ, DED, AGEF, Canadian Embassy, Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN), USAID, UNAMA, OXFAM GB, Counterpart International (CPI), French Embassy, Free and Fair Election for Afghanistan (FEFA), National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Democracy International (DI), PROMOTE Musharikat, DAI and National Democratic Institute (NDI).
The vision of the organization rearticulated during the process of strategic planning is as following:
“Realization of a prosperous and impartial society where women have equal rights and better opportunities
in all aspects of their life”.
The mission of the organization rearticulated during the process of strategic planning 2014-2018 is as following:
“To contribute in building of a prosperous and impartial society through public awareness creation, advocacy, and
improving socio-economic condition of people in Afghanistan with focus on women”.
Based on need in the external environment and the capacity of the organization, THRA will work through the following strategies in coming three years-2016- 2019.
| # | Name | Title | Current Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ms. Raiha Langari | Chair Person of Board | Gender focal point Kabul Municipalities’ Development Program (KMDP) |
| 2 | Mr. Sayd Ihsanullah Abrar | Board Member | Women Rights Consultant |
| 3 | Ms. Giti Noor Sahim | Board Member | Assistant Principle of Tajwar Sultana High School |
| 4 | Mr. Samim Habib | Board Member | Finance and Admin Officer at AAPT |
| 5 | Ms. Roshan Sirran | Board Member | Executive Director |
| # | Name | Title | Current Position | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roshan Sirran | Executive Director | BSc. | Female |
| 2 | Mohammad Abrahim Mamoond | Deputy Director & Program Manager | BA Economics, MBA | Male |
| 3 | Ziaullah Mohammadi | Project Manager | BA | Male |
| 4 | Jina Omid Sahim | Finance & Admin Manager | BBA | Female |
| 5 | Mohammad Rahim | Provincial Focal Point in Kunar | BA | Male |
| 6 | Waheedullah Zaheer | M&E Manager | BSc | Male |
| 7 | Razma Hamdil | HR Manager | HR Manager | Female |
