Free Women Writers

Thank you so much for supporting our work. Going forward, we encourage our supporters to donate to Bamyan Foundation which continues to work on the ground in Afghanistan. That's where your help will make the most impact. Click here to donate. 

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About Free Women Writers

Centuries ago, the first-known woman poet in Afghanistan, Rabia Balkhi was killed by her brother for falling in love with a slave and daring to write. Today, a generation of women in Afghanistan are following her footsteps and using their pens to advocate for their human rights. In a country where daily terrorist attacks, poverty, and war have led to the sustenance of a culture of violence and inequality, this is not an easy task. Journalists, poets, and advocates are often targeted and killed by Islamist extremists as well as their own partners, family members, and relatives and women who’ve dared to live public lives face harassment and hostility on a daily basis. Despite these threats, we are determined to fight patriarchy and terrorism with our stories. We are also aware that global media often misrepresents Afghanistan, in particular Afghan women. We, Afghan women, are often talked about, but rarely listened to. We hope to challenge the one-dimensional portrayals of Afghanistan and Afghans at a global level by elevating our nation’s authentic voices.

Our work and advocacy is not possible without your contribution. We are an all-volunteer team so 100% your tax deductible donation will go towards our work.

Our Work:

• Advocacy: Free Women Writers uses a range of new and traditional media to advocate for gender equality and progress in Afghanistan. From our social media, to our website, to partnerships with local radio and newspapers, we are using our voices to advocate for change at a grassroots level. In addition, through events in Washington, D.C., Kabul, and Mazar-e-Sharif, we raise awareness about women's issues and elevate the voices of Afghan women. 
• Books: We've published two books for Afghan women. A collection of Afghan women’s writings in defense of our human rights, we published Daughters of Rabia in 2013. Following its success and distribution in six provinces in Afghanistan, we created the Free Women Writers blog to continue publishing women’s writings in local languages. Since then, the blog has expanded to include hundreds of articles, poems, narratives, and essays about gender equality, environmental concerns, economic inequality, democracy, and other social justice-related issues. Read Daughters of Rabia here. Our second books You Are Not Alone is a short guide for women facing gender-based violence. Through this book, we debunk the many myths that continue to surround conversations on gender-based violence and harm women around the world, and provide specific and practical tips on ways one can deal with violence. The book is unprecedented in its courage in Afghanistan as it discusses taboo issues like martial rape and other forms of sexualized violence. Read this book in Persian here. Purchase this book in English here. All proceeds go to our work. In 2018, we aim to publish two more books in local languages. 

To learn more about our work visit our website. Thank you so much for your support! 

In Solidarity, 

Free Women Writers