Bush, George W., Institute "We Are Afghan Women"

Bush, George W., Institute "We Are Afghan Women. Voices of Hope" - 2016

I have read a lot of books about Afghanistan, mostly about women in Afghanistan. And they are all heartbreaking.

In this edition, various women from Afghanistan raise their voices. There are teachers and doctors, girls (and even one guy) that come from the poorest areas in the country but were able to raise up and help their fellow countrywomen. They have a lot in common. Most of them had to flee the country either when the Russians occupied it or when the Taliban took over. Many of them stayed in Pakistan or Iran during a couple of years, some even went to the United States. They all found a job when coming back. Some weave carpets and support their families, others teach other women. They all have the hope that it will get better living in a country where women are regarded as the lowest of the lowest and have nothing to say.

But they have more in common than that. They are all incredibly strong and don't give up. Some had to stop their education three times but followed it up every time they had the chance to continue.

A brilliant account of how women in other parts of the world live. I might never get to a country like that but I will always try to understand what these women are going through and support them in any way I can, even if it's only by writing.

Reading a book like this makes me grateful that I am born and can live in Europe. We might have our own troubles but they are nothing compared to what these people are going through.

I didn't know much about the George W. Bush Institute before I read this book but they are certainly doing a good job in this part of the world.

A very deserving book. A quote that makes you think: "A person has two hands, left and right. In many societies the right is the man and the left hand is the woman. In Afghan society both right and left hand is the man." So true.

From the back cover:

"These are the voices of Afghanistan's women. Hear their inspiring, moving, courageous, and often heartbreaking stories. Discover a compelling portrait of the lives, struggles, and successes of these extraordinarily resilient women.

Afghanistan has been described as 'the worst nation in the world to be a woman'. More than fifty percent of girls who are forced into marriage are sixteen or younger. Too many women live in fear and in many areas, education and employment for women are still condemned. The women featured in We Are Afghan Women are fighting to change all that. From rug weavers to domestic violence counselors to business owners, educators, and activists, these courageous women are charting a new path for themselves, their families, their communities, and their nation. Told in their own voices, their stories vividly capture a country undone by decades of war and now struggling to build a lasting peace.

Meet Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, who ran underground schools for girls until the Taliban fell, and today has established educational centers across Afghanistan to teach women and girls basic literacy. Or Freshta Hazeq, who as a female business owner, has faced death threats, sabotage, and even kidnapping threats against her children. Naheed Farid is the youngest female member of Afghanistan’s parliament. During her campaign, opponents cut Naheed’s face out of campaign posters and her family risked complete ruin, but her husband and father-in-law never wavered, encouraging her to persevere. Here, too are compassionate women such as Masooma Jafari, who started a national midwives association. Her own mother was forced into marriage at age twelve and gave birth to her first child at age thirteen.

With an introduction by former First Lady Laura Bush, We Are Afghan Women chronicles the lives of young and old, daughters and mothers, educated, and those who are still learning. These determined women are defying the odds to lead Afghanistan to a better future. Their stories are a stark reminder that in some corners of the world the struggle continues and that women’s progress in society, business, and politics cannot be taken for granted. Their eloquent words challenge all of us to answer: What does it truly mean to be a woman in the twenty-first century?

Laura Bush is the Chair of the George W. Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative, which strives to empower women through education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. Located in Dallas, Texas, at Southern Methodist University, the Bush Institute at the George W. Bush Presidential Center is a public-policy center dedicated to developing leaders, fostering policy debates and solutions, and taking action. She is a long-time supporter of women’s participation and education in Afghanistan and serves alongside Afghan First Lady Rula Ghani and Secretary Hillary R. Clinton as honorary co-chair of the US Afghan Women’s Council."