Shukria Barakzai: Difference between revisions

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	'''Shukria Barakzai''' is an ] MP, journalist and entrepreneur, and a prominent ].		'''Shukria Barakzai''' is an ] politician, journalist and entrepreneur, and a prominent ].

	She was born in 1972 in ]. (She remembers her mother being able to walk the streets of the capital wearing a miniskirt.<ref> ]''] </ref>) She speaks both main Afghani languages, ] and ], as well as ]. Barakzai went to ] in the 1990s. Half way through a degree, she had to break off her studies because of mounting violence between ] and the ]. In 1999, following a beating by the ] for the crime of leaving the house without her husband, she set up an underground school in her home.<ref></ref> She resumed her education right after the ] were driven out of Kabul in late 2001 ], and gained a degree in archaeology and geology<ref>]'']</ref>.		She was born in 1972 in ]. (She remembers her mother being able to walk the streets of the capital wearing a miniskirt.<ref> ]''] </ref>) She speaks both main Afghani languages, ] and ], as well as ]. Barakzai went to ] in the 1990s. Half way through a degree, she had to break off her studies because of mounting violence between ] and the ]. In 1999, following a beating by the ] for the crime of leaving the house without her husband, she set up an underground school in her home.<ref></ref> She resumed her education right after the ] were driven out of Kabul in late 2001 ], and gained a degree in archaeology and geology<ref>]'']</ref>.

	In 2002 she founded '']'' (''Women’s Mirror''), a national weekly newspaper. Her mission was to "improve the understanding and knowledge of Afghan women in society”<ref>http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2047.cfm</ref>. She began the publication without any resources, lacking even a computer and access to a printing press, hoping to encourage women to fight for their own rights, and to build a strong democracy and ].<ref> ] ], areas in which Afghanistan has great difficulty.<ref></ref> She focuses on large issues, saying, "in my opinion the ] is not that important. What is important is education, democracy and freedom."<ref></ref> She stresses unity among women as well as the role that men have to play.<ref>] 29 December 2005] </ref> She credits technology such as mobile phones, banned under the Taliban regime, with helping young Afghans integrate with the modern world. For example, using text messaging to vote for a participant in a television talent show contest demonstrates how democratic voting can work.<ref> ]]</ref>		In 2002 she founded '']'' (''Women’s Mirror''), a national weekly newspaper. Her mission was to "improve the understanding and knowledge of Afghan women in society”<ref>http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2047.cfm</ref>. She began the publication without any resources, lacking even a computer and access to a printing press, hoping to encourage women to fight for their own rights, and to build a strong democracy and ].<ref> ] ], areas in which Afghanistan has great difficulty.<ref></ref> She focuses on large issues, saying, "in my opinion the ] is not that important. What is important is education, democracy and freedom."<ref></ref> She stresses unity among women as well as the role that men have to play.<ref>] 29 December 2005] </ref> She credits technology such as mobile phones, banned under the Taliban regime, with helping young Afghans integrate with the modern world. For example, using ] to vote for a participant in a television talent show contest demonstrates how democratic voting can work.<ref> ]]</ref>

	~~She~~ was appointed a member of the ], a body of representatives from all over Afghanistan that was nominated to discuss and pass the constitution after the fall of the Taliban.<ref></ref> In the October 2004 elections she was elected as a member of ~~parliament~~, one of 71 women out of MPs.<ref name=AssociatedPress2009-03-04>		Barakzai was appointed a member of the ], a body of representatives from all over Afghanistan that was nominated to discuss and pass the constitution after the fall of the Taliban.<ref></ref> In the October 2004 elections she was elected as a member of ], the lower house of the ]. She is one of 71 women out of 249 MPs.<ref name=AssociatedPress2009-03-04>
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	</ref> She is one of only a handful of female MPs who speak up for ], and faces ]s for her views.<ref>]'']</ref> She defended ] and reported that some parliamentarians threatened to rape her.<ref> ]'']</ref> She opposes ] ]'s troop build-up plan, asking for "30, 000 scholars or engineers" instead.<ref>]'']</ref> She intends to stand for ] in 2014<ref>]'']</ref>.		</ref> She is one of only a handful of female MPs who speak up for ], and faces ]s for her views.<ref>]'']</ref> Her criticisms of the legislature are wide-ranging: "Our parliament is a collection of lords. Warlords, drug lords, crime lords." <ref>]'']</ref> She defended ], another female MP who has condemned warlordism, reporting that some parliamentarians threatened to rape her.<ref> ] ]'s troop build-up plan, asking for "30, 000 scholars or engineers" instead.<ref>]'']</ref> She intends to stand for ] in 2014<ref>]'']</ref>.

	Barkzai is married to Abdul Ghafoor Dawi, who stood unsuccessfully for Parliament at the same time as her. In 2004, 12 years into they were wed, he took ], as is his right under ]. He did this without telling Barakzai, and she admits to feeling "disturbed and hurt" and "a victim of tradition" because of his decision. She has turned her attention to campaigning against ]<ref>]'']</ref> They have three daughters. <ref>]'']</ref>		Barkzai is married to Abdul Ghafoor Dawi, who stood unsuccessfully for Parliament at the same time as her. In 2004, 12 years into they were wed, he took ], as is his right under ]. He did this without telling Barakzai, and she admits to feeling "disturbed and hurt" and "a victim of tradition" because of his decision. She has turned her attention to campaigning against ]<ref>]'']</ref> They have three daughters. <ref>]'']</ref>
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	==References and footnotes==		==References and footnotes==
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Revision as of 20:56, 24 May 2009

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Shukria Barakzai is an Afghani politician, journalist and entrepreneur, and a prominent Muslim feminist.

She was born in 1972 in Kabul. (She remembers her mother being able to walk the streets of the capital wearing a miniskirt.) She speaks both main Afghani languages, Pashto and Dari, as well as English. Barakzai went to Kabul University in the 1990s. Half way through a degree, she had to break off her studies because of mounting violence between the government and the Mujahideen. In 1999, following a beating by the religious police for the crime of leaving the house without her husband, she set up an underground school in her home. She resumed her education right after the Taliban were driven out of Kabul in late 2001 following the American-led invasion, and gained a degree in archaeology and geology.

In 2002 she founded Aina-E-Zan (Women’s Mirror), a national weekly newspaper. Her mission was to "improve the understanding and knowledge of Afghan women in society”. She began the publication without any resources, lacking even a computer and access to a printing press, hoping to encourage women to fight for their own rights, and to build a strong democracy and civil society. She campaigns on issues such as maternal and infant mortality, areas in which Afghanistan has great difficulty. She focuses on large issues, saying, "in my opinion the burka is not that important. What is important is education, democracy and freedom." She stresses unity among women as well as the role that men have to play. She credits technology such as mobile phones, banned under the Taliban regime, with helping young Afghans integrate with the modern world. For example, using text messaging to vote for a participant in a television talent show contest demonstrates how democratic voting can work.

Barakzai was appointed a member of the Loya Jirga, a body of representatives from all over Afghanistan that was nominated to discuss and pass the constitution after the fall of the Taliban. In the October 2004 elections she was elected as a member of the House of the People, the lower house of the National Assembly of Afghanistan. She is one of 71 women out of 249 MPs. She is one of only a handful of female MPs who speak up for women's rights, and faces death threats for her views. Her criticisms of the legislature are wide-ranging: "Our parliament is a collection of lords. Warlords, drug lords, crime lords." She defended Malalai Joya, another female MP who has condemned warlordism, reporting that some parliamentarians threatened to rape her.She opposes U.S. President Obama's troop build-up plan, asking for "30, 000 scholars or engineers" instead. She intends to stand for President of Afghanistan in 2014.

Barkzai is married to Abdul Ghafoor Dawi, who stood unsuccessfully for Parliament at the same time as her. In 2004, 12 years into they were wed, he took a second wife, as is his right under Muslim marriage law. He did this without telling Barakzai, and she admits to feeling "disturbed and hurt" and "a victim of tradition" because of his decision. She has turned her attention to campaigning against multiple marriages They have three daughters.

World Press Review (Worldpress.org) named Barakzai International Editor of the Year in 2004. In December 2005, she was named Woman of the Year by the BBC Radio 4 programme Woman's Hour.

External links

Worldpress list of resources: speeches, photos, interview
Jenni Murray interviews Barakzai on Woman's Hour

References and footnotes

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