Freshta Karim on how to change the lives of Afghanistan’s women
The children’s rights activist writes at the invitation of Malala Yousafzai
THIS IS THE first International Women’s Day in years that I will not be home in Afghanistan. I am writing to mark it instead from the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford. I am here not as a scholar, but as an exiled alumna, exhausted by conflict and violence, seeking solace. It reminds me of the chain of mobile libraries named “Charmaghz”' which I run in Kabul. Charmaghz means walnut in Farsi; it represents the brain and the importance of fostering critical thinking. Children visit our libraries with excitement, eager to dive into new stories and imagine a world beyond war. There is not a day when I don’t fear for their future.
This article appeared in the By Invitation section of the print edition under the headline “Freshta Karim on how to change the lives of Afghanistan’s women”
By Invitation March 12th 2022
- Malala Yousafzai explains why girls must be free to learn—and to lead
- Freshta Karim on how to change the lives of Afghanistan’s women
- Vanessa Nakate on how girls’ education can help solve the climate crisis
- Kiara Nirghin on the gender divide in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
- Tigidankay “TK” Saccoh on how teachers can address discrimination at school
From the March 12th 2022 edition
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