NoBorn in 1994, during the civil war in Afghanistan, and raised under the first Taliban regime, Zarifa Ghafari she came of age under an ostensibly democratic government. She has been politically active since she was a teenager, in 2019 she was elected mayor of Maidan Shahr – among the few women as well as the youngest -, a position for which she risked her life three times and lost her father, assassinated by the Taliban.
Zarifa Ghafari mayor in Afghanistan
Symbol of resistance for Afghan women, although she is only 28 years old, she has an intense life enclosed in the book Zarifa Ghafari – A woman’s battle in a man’s world published in Italy by Solferino. It will be presented today, May 20, at the Turin Book Fair at 6pm.
How did she manage to be an educated and successful young woman in a country where power is in the hands of men?
«I have always believed in myself, in my strength to achieve my goals as a child, girl and woman. The stories of pain and sacrifice of older Afghans showed me the way. Thanks to their example, I decided not to give up, to stand up and defend my being a woman. I had to fight against discrimination even within my family, it was evident that my parents treated me differently than my younger brothers».
Zarifa Ghafari (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
An enlightened father and husband
Despite some disagreements and the propensity for discipline and hierarchy, her father, a military officer, supported her in her choices, as did her husband. What role did she play in her emancipation journey?
«The first act of resistance, unaware of me at the time, was being sent to school at the age of four. Only after a terrorist attack did my father decide that studying had become too dangerous. He was strict, but if I became the person I am it’s thanks to him. I dedicate all my successes to him which I share with another equally important man, my husband who supports me every day in the battle for women’s rights».
Freedom denied
Rights which, having experienced three different historical moments in your country, you have seen recognized and then denied. How did you deal with this swing between freedom and oppression?
«It was destabilizing, I still suffer from the pain caused by the continuous changes in my country. I remember how strange it was, after the fall of the first Taliban regime, to see women bare-headed, in elegant dresses. Unfortunately Kabul’s “golden age” didn’t last long and, unable to contain my anger at the injustices, I started fighting for women’s rights. I have to be strong and continue on this path».
What did it mean to be mayor – female, young and progressive – in an ultra-conservative city?
“I faced stiff opposition, the protests started before the news of my election even broke. It took me nine months to be able to assume my role. But, despite the difficulties, I have always been determined to bring about change even within the Municipality. The administrative experience will remain the most important of my life, despite the suffering it has generated. I’ve been through a lot, but I think no change can happen if we stay in our comfort zone.”
First the escape and then the return
Following the Taliban attack, she fled to Germany, then returned to Kabul in February 2022. What drove her?
«In August 2021, I left Afghanistan to protect my family. After my father was killed, I felt responsible for their safety, for my sisters’ education. When I was sure they were safe, I returned to Kabul, among my own people. On the other hand, I belong to that land, to my people, to the women I continue to support».
The Afghan question is increasingly black
In fact, although currently a refugee on German soil, she continues her commitment through her humanitarian organization Assistance and Promotion for Afghan Women.
“Exactly! Education, vocational training, health services and aid packages for the poorest, mostly widows with no income, are our main activities. Women are deprived of fundamental rights and children die of horror and hunger. The Taliban have destroyed the culture, history and heritage of Afghanistan.”
Thanks to his international notoriety, he fights not to extinguish attention on the Afghan question.
«I participate in events all over Europe. Specifically, gender discrimination also afflicts the West, logically in different ways and entities. But it is precisely this sharing of values and objectives that must push everyone to break the silence and support Afghan women in the fight against the restrictions, to ensure a future for the new generations.
Zarifa Ghafari courageous and combative, but with wounds
She proves to be more and more courageous and combative, but what’s under her physical and emotional scars?
«The scars have remained and have healed badly, but they have turned into a shield that guards my determination. Often, in public I appear tough and impassive, I am described as emotionless, in reality I am goal focused. Since I was a child, Zarifa who wands men and Krish – it means affection – sweet and emotional coexist in me. This is my most intimate part that I only show to the women I reach out to, my husband and our baby who will be born in August».
Are you afraid for your safety?
“Despite the three bombings I survived, I have never been afraid of dying as I believe that death is part of the human cycle. But I admit that sometimes I am afraid. I would like to live as long as possible to fight and serve my people, to equip every woman with a pen with which to write the future of Afghanistan together.”
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