Afghan Women: ‘We are not Fragile’
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Nearly 4,000 miles away, an Israeli-American journalist named Danna Harman – who had traveled to Afghanistan four years prior to report on an all-girls robotics team – was on holiday in Venice. Her phone was blowing up with messages from Afghan women she knew, asking for help. So, she started making some calls. That was just the beginning of an escape operation that helped nearly 200 Afghans relocate – first to Tajikistan, then to a refugee camp in Abu Dhabi, then finally to Canada.
With Harman’s help, we got in touch with some women who fled Afghanistan – as well as some women who are still there. And we want to share their stories with you.
What do you think of when you hear Afghan woman?
“You probably were expecting a shy little girl who was dominated by men her whole life.”
— Marwa Dashty
For many, stereotypical images of women in burqas come to mind. We might picture Afghan women being oppressed by men, subservient, staying at home, speaking when spoken to. Hidden from the public eye.
Every now and then, maybe we’ll see a news feature about an Afghan “genius girl” who excels in sports or in STEM. Good for her, we think. And we treat her as an exception to the stereotype, rather than an example of what all Afghan women are capable of.
This way of thinking can be traced to the endless stream of news stories telling us about the ways in which Afghan women are oppressed, which too often eclipses their identities – their sense of humor, quiet moments of rebellion and their poetic way of speaking.
Our goal with this project is to give Afghan women – those who fled and those who stayed behind – a platform for visibility at a time when the Taliban seeks to erase them from public life. We hope to paint a fuller picture than what’s typically seen. Yes, there is painful inequity and a collapse of rights and dreams. But there is still hope in all the fear, and glimmers of defiance in the midst of brutal oppression.
Ways to Support Afghan Women
Learn about the resources and organizations you can support to help Afghan Women.
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