The picture in Afghanistan couldn’t be more devastating: vulnerable communities facing imminent threats, including in “the homes of two female journalists [who] were visited by Taliban fighters on Sunday,” CNN reported.
Which is why there’s crucial context to call up. Fariba Nawa has long seen the stakes. She’s a resilient, powerfully justice-driven Herat-born refugee and journalist, host of the documentary podcast On Spec, and author of Opium Nation, who you should follow @faribanawa if you haven’t already. Her Mother Jones reporting from 2001, in the immediate aftermath of the invasion, is eerily prescient: “Advocates for Afghanistan’s women are increasingly worried that the rights and freedoms of women will once again be left off the negotiating table” and “are pushing to ensure that women’s freedoms are protected under a post-Taliban government,” she wrote. “Leading women’s activists, however, are unimpressed by the promises.”
Revisit her story, “Demanding to Be Heard,” written 20 years ago. As more investigative light is cast on the forces of corruption taking hold in the region, the broader diaspora of Afghan voices and storytelling continues to expand. Share your stories at recharge@motherjones.com.
