UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center, in partnership with San Jose State’s Human Rights Institute and the UC Berkeley Afghan Student Association, created the Afghanistan “Scholars at Risk Fund” on behalf of our campuses to respond to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan and the urgent need to help journalists, lawyers, and other academics — especially women — flee the country. We raised $251,000, matched with a $100,000 grant from the the UC Berkeley Vice Chancellor for Research Opportunity Fund and $50,000 from San Jose State University. Those funds supported six at-risk Afghan women and their family members to come to UC Berkeley and San Jose State. Funds support legal and visa fees, travel, and modest stipends. We supported three women at the Human Rights Center, their details can be found below.
Wai Wai Nu was a 2019-2022 visiting scholar at the Human Rights Center. Graduating from Berkeley Law in 2018, she used the resources at the HRC to further her work on the Rohingya crisis. Nu’s family is Rohingya, a Muslim minority in Myanmar, and has a history of advocacy. In 1990, Nu’s father was elected to parliament, receiving harassment for promoting labor rights. He was eventually sentenced to 47 years in prison for “alleged state security and immigration violations” in 2005. Soon after, Nu and the rest of her family were given 17-year sentences under the same allegations.
Upon being released in 2012, Nu set out to fix Burma’s legal system. After receiving her law degree, she established the Women’s Peace Network-Arakan and later co-founded Justice for women, a network of female lawyers that promotes democracy- and peace-building efforts. Her soared after initiating the #MyFriend campaign. This campaign urged participants to post photos of themselves with friends from diverse backgrounds in order to counter the widespread discrimination and hate on social media. Watch Wai Wai deliver a special message to our community for Human Rights Day 2018.
November 11, 2023
A Harrowing Journey for Afghan Journalist and Berkeley Law Scholar Maria Raheen
Berkeley Law: Featuring Afghan Scholar Maria Raheen.
August 8, 2022
A Life in Limbo: After Fleeing Afghanistan, Judge Basira Qazizada Finds a Stopgap Oasis in Berkeley
HRC in the News — Berkeley Law: A Life in Limbo: After Fleeing Afghanistan, Judge Basira Qazizada Finds a Stopgap Oasis in Berkeley, a feature on HRC scholar at risk Basira Qazizada.
March 22, 2022
At long last, the U.S. recognizes what the Rohingya already knew
Commentary — The Washington Post: At long last, the U.S. recognizes what the Rohingya already knew, authored by Scholar at Risk Wai Wai Nu.
November 21, 2021
Taliban gunshots echo through Khwaga Ghani’s new life at Berkeley
HRC in the News — Berkeley News: Taliban gunshots echo through Khwaga Ghani’s new life at Berkeley by Ed Lempinen. After the fall of
August 29, 2021
More Universities, Higher Ed Groups Step Up To Help Afghan Refugees
HRC in the News — Forbes: More Universities, Higher Ed Groups Step Up To Help Afghan Refugees, with mention of HRC’s Afghan Scholar Project.
August 20, 2021
How Bay Area universities are helping Afghans during the Taliban coup
HRC in the News — NBC Bay Area: How Bay Area universities are helping Afghans during the Taliban coup, with mention of SJSU’s Human Rights Institute and Human Rights Center’s
August 20, 2021
Berkeley students, staff and faculty launch Afghan scholar rescue campaign
HRC in the News — Berkeley News: Berkeley students, staff and faculty launch Afghan scholar rescue campaign. Hundreds of people gathered
January 19, 2018
‘The world has not forgotten us’: a Rohingya Activist Speaks as Myanmar Faces Genocide Case
Commentary — Time Magazine: ‘The world has not forgotten us’: a Rohingya Activist Speaks as Myanmar Faces Genocide Case, by former HRC Visiting Scholar Wai Wai Nu.