Expert Witness, former diplomat, Ph.D. Candidate in law specializing and providing expert report on human rights, asylum and immigration cases of nationality assessment, gender-based violence with a focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Nazifa Haqpal is an experienced expert witness on immigration, asylum, human rights, civil and criminal related matters which involves gender- based violence as well as honour killing issues. She prepares country of origin reports for clients and appellant from Afghanistan and Pakistan. She is given evidence and written expert reports on numerous cases.
As a former Afghan diplomat and PhD Candidate in law with SOAS- University of London, is involved in depth study and research project of human rights law and gender dynamic within Afghan and the region, particularly by focusing the intersect between culture norms, Islamic law and international human rights law. In addition to preparing country of origin expert report on Afghanistan and Pakistan for asylum seekers in the UK and EU, she has an extensive experience in language analysis of Dari/Persian, Pashto, Urdu, and Afghani Panjabi/Hindko. Furthermore, as a former diplomat at the Afghanistan embassy in London, I have superseded Consulate department where in this capacity, she was responsible of issuing Afghani passports, birth certificates and Taskeera (national ID card) authentication, and issuing other legal documents to Afghan nationals.
Interviewing and assessment of national identity, through varies technique has rendered her the skills to identify and understanding Afghanistan and Pakistan contextual and local issues, and varies type of dialect including ly those live in the diaspora. Furthermore, she has also lived experience in Pakistan and Afghanistan with wider comprehension of Pashtoons living, their culture, language, life style, the dynamic of community hierarchies, and tribal community.
On professional level, as practitioner working on varies project with UNAMA (United Nation Mission in Afghanistan) and Action Aid International, also bestow her the opportunity of visiting rural areas across border of Afghanistan and Pakistan and observe their way of living, structure of their society.
On my qualifications, in 2014, I have completed my master’s degree in International Security and Diplomacy from the University of East Anglia- United Kingdom. I also obtained in 2007 a bachelor’s degree in law and political science from Kabul University- Afghanistan. I also studied my primary and high school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Pakistan. She has prepared for several years experts report on human rights, political and soci-cultural situation of Afghanistan and Pakistan, nationality assessment, language analysis, risk assessment,
- Published article, titled- “The Taliban Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan Is Part Of- Not Separate From – Its Terrorist Links”, Just Security, available at: https://www.justsecurity.org/87634/the-talibans-gender-apartheid-policies-support-radicalization/
- Published article, titled- “The Taliban Gender Persecution in Afghanistan Is a Challenge to the World”, available at: https://thediplomat.com/2023/08/the-talibans-gender-prosecution-in-afghanistan-is-a-challenge-to-the-world/
- Published article, titled “ Centering Human Rights at the Heart of Diplomatic Efforts in Intra-Afghan Dialogue”, available at: https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/centering-human-rights-at-the-heart-of-diplomatic-efforts-for-intra-afghan-dialogue/
- Upcoming, Edited book Chapter, titled- Women, Violence and Law: A Critical Analysis of Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
- Extensively researched issues related to culture norms, tribal dynamic and blood feud in Pakistan and Afghanistan
- The Impact of Legal Pluralism on the Role and Status of Afghanistan’s Judiciary (2001-2020)
- How an Unbiased and Well-functioning Justice System can Promote Peace in Afghanistan?
- Afghanistan’s Contemporary Foreign policy and Cultural Diplomacy: Engaging Diaspora Community
- Securing Human Rights of Women through Legal Reform: A Case Study of Violence against women initiatives in Post-2001 Afghanistan
Education and legal document (Tazkira, marriage certificate and other legal documents) verification and authentication
Fact-finding matters conducted in Afghanistan
Human Rights, including women, ethnic communities and children rights
Issues of family law, forced marriages, Islamic marriages, divorce, alimony, children custody including, domestic violence and gender based violence i.e. sexual assault, honour killing and rape cases
Assessment report for Health facilities, Prison conditions assessment, mental Health including PTSD matters.