Photographs and stories documenting the rushed withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan circulated around the global media space, and it took people’s breath away. And these days? The people there, particularly the women, are in danger of being forgotten. Drawing on conversations with Afghan women both in Germany and in Afghanistan as well as on her own family history, Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi offers us an insight into Afghan women’s struggle against their systemic oppression. She writes about their hopes and fears, about courage, desperation and strength. The message that arises from these stories is clear: Afghan women have again and again been systematically instrumentalised to suit the purpose of those in power, be they the Taliban, the mujahideen, or invading Western powers. They are spoken about, not spoken to.
Hasrat-Nazimi wants to change this, while also presenting a realistic portrayal of the environment in which Afghan women live. In doing so, she is holding a mirror up to the West and indicating that Afghan women do not need “saving”. What they need is the legal and legitimate right to self-determination.
