Wahida Amiri
Wahida Amiri (born in 1990) is an Afghan librarian and an activist for women’s rights.[1] [2] Amiri runs a library.[3] Since 2017, her library of over 5,000 books is open in Kabul to motivate women to read.[1] But in August 2021, Amiri returned to Kabul to see the Taliban stopping girls and women from going to work and school.[1] She gathered a group of women and started a movement called “Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women Fighters”. [2][4] In December 2021, Amiri made it on BBC’s list of the 100 most inspiring women. [3]
Early Life
changeAmiri was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan and temporarily moved to Pakistan and came back to Kabul at 15.[1] When she moved to Pakistan she had to do many of the chores like cooking, cleaning, and scrubbing the floors.[1] After the Taliban was defeated, Amiri returned home.[1] Women and girls could now go to school and work.[1] Even though education was important to Amiri, her family thought taking care of the house and guests was more important. [1] Five years later, she was able to enroll into school with the help of her cousin.[1]
Career
changeAmiri didn’t learn how to read until she was 20 years old. [1] She took her exams while taking care of her home. [1] She took them over and over until she finally passed. [1] Finally, she was welcomed into a university where she studied law. [1] Amiri discovered the English author Virginia Woolf and finally realized she held power in her voice. [1] When the Taliban took power again in Afghanistan, Amiri lost her job.[5]
Activism
changeThe Taliban said girls cannot go to school.[5] They said women cannot have jobs.[5] Amiri organized women to protest.[5][6]
References
change- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "The librarian who defied the Taliban". BBC News. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Os diários secretos de mulheres afegãs após chegada do Talebã ao poder". Época Negócios (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-01-18.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "BBC 100 Women 2021: Who is on the list this year?". Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ↑ Figini, Alice. "Chi è Wahida Amiri, la bibliotecaria nella lista delle 100 donne del 2021 secondo BBC". SoloLibri.net (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-01-18.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Jaafari, Shirin (2022-01-13). "'We have no future': Afghan women protest Taliban restrictions". The World. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
- ↑ "Afghan women activists feel betrayed by Oslo talks". France 24. 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2023-02-03.