The Bayat Foundation announced a 2010 Bayat Foundation Empowering Women Grant in the amount of US$10,000 to the Justice For All Organization (JFAO) to provide legal advice and representation for accused and imprisoned women who cannot afford a lawyer and who may have limited knowledge of their constitutional rights in Afghanistan.

JFAO is led by Afghan women and advocates for women’s rights through the law.  The organization is helping to rebuild the Afghan judicial system and prepares women for leadership roles with Afghanistan’s legal and political sectors.

Many Afghan women have not previously had any knowledge of their legal rights, and have lacked a resource center to go to for legal information and legal defender assistance.  Now, JFAO provides them with the support they need to assert those rights.

Bayat Foundation President and Executive Director Fatema Laya Bayat made the announcement saying, “We are thankful for this opportunity to support the valuable work of the Justice For All Organization as they educate and defend the rights and interests of Afghan women.  Their work embodies the values of the Bayat Foundation Empowering Women Grants.”  This is one of three 2010 Empowering Women Grants awarded by the Bayat Foundation.