We Are Afghan Women

Voices of Hope

By: George W. Bush Institute

Narrated by: Pam Ward

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Afghanistan has been described as "the worst nation in the world to be a woman". More than 50 percent of girls who are forced into marriage are 16 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.

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. Here, too, you will find the story of Naheed Farid, the youngest female member of Afghanistan's parliament.

With an introduction by former first lady Laura Bush, We Are Afghan Women chronicles the lives of the determined women who are defying the odds to lead Afghanistan to a better future.

©2016 The George W. Bush Foundation (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A galvanizing collection of a traumatized population learning to believe in itself." ( Kirkus)

Inspiring

These are inspiring strong women. This book gives the reader an understanding of what life in Afghanistan is like for women and all people of Afghanistan from a historical, social, cultural and religious perspective and the need for long-term change, security, human rights, gender equality and stability in Afghanistan. Even harder to read at this time knowing what has transpired in Afghanistan since this book was written. Highly recommend!

Disappointed in narration.

No break between the women's stories. One chapter ran into the other. Difficult to differentiate.

Fascinating and Heartbreaking at the same time

This book is a series of first hand accounts of what it is like to be an afghan woman. Now please note that the narration doesn't tell you when you are moving from one person's story to the next so that can be confusing. That said, I learned so much. I find it so hard to believe that there are humans that treat other humans this way in the world. But I also see that the cultural issues run so deep. There was one gal who broke free and moved to the US... and what did she do when she got here - moved into an Afghan neighborhood and married an Afghan man. In other words, she put herself right back into harms way and it was awful. Luckily her daughter was able to break her free from the cycle. Sometime the devil you know feels better than the unknown - and that is the saddest part.