Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Mary Akrami, fighting to keep Afghan women's shelters open

Mary Akrami, fighting to keep Afghan women's shelters open

Gathered around a tandoori oven in the kitchen of a small Kabul restaurant, a group of Afghan women prepare naan for their lunchtime customers.

They are all survivors of domestic violence, and many will never be able to return to their families.


Mary Akrami, the founder of the shelter where they sleep and the restaurant where they work, fears these lifelines will be lost with the departure of foreign forces, who had pledged to restore women’s rights in war-weary Afghanistan.

"The international community encouraged us, supported us, funded us... now they ignore us," said the 45-year-old, who is also director of the Afghan Women's Network, an alliance of NGOs.

US and international troops have all but gone from Afghanistan, as the Taliban seizes control of large swathes of the country, leaving Afghan forces in crisis.

Akrami fears for her safety and that of the women at her shelters. One site has already closed because of clashes in the provinces.

"A woman who is running away from home has no place to go," she said, adding that many girls and women end up on the streets.

"We received cases of women tortured, sexually abused, physically abused," she added.

Having spent the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule in Pakistan, Akrami returned after the Islamist group was toppled by the US-led invasion.

With the help of some European NGOs in 2002, she opened Afghanistan's first shelter for women fleeing family violence.

More than 20,000 women have passed through Akrami's network of more than two dozen shelters since then.

In Afghanistan, a country of 35 million, the vast majority of women are estimated by the United Nations to have experienced physical, sexual or psychological violence, and the culture remains unforgiving to those who part with their husbands.

In some parts of the country, women are still given as brides to settle debts or feuds, and subjected to so-called "honour killings".

- 'I can be independent' -

Since the ousting of the Taliban, which denied girls and women education and employment, there have been some hard-won gains -- women are now judges, police officials and legislators, and schools have reopened.

The government passed a law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, although the provisions are unreliably enforced.

At the shelter in Kabul, some women study for exams or go to work, returning at night to sleep.

Others raise their children within its walls.

For those who have no opportunity to leave, Akrami has opened the restaurant.

Hassanat, who was married off as a peace offering, fled her husband when he strangled her, leaving her permanently hoarse.

The 26-year-old found her way to the capital’s shelter and has since mastered cooking.

"I learned to read and I can make kebabs for 100 people. I can be independent," said Hassanat, who used a pseudonym to protect her identity.

At the restaurant, male customers are only welcome if escorted by women, flipping the conservative tradition where women have to be chaperoned to leave the house.

- 'Betrayed' -

After pouring her life into the shelters, Akrami said she felt "betrayed" to discover Washington had failed to make any demands over women’s rights in the landmark withdrawal deal with the Taliban last year.

At peace talks between the warring Afghan government and Taliban, the militants have made only vague commitments to protecting women's rights in line with Islamic values.

Meanwhile, high-profile women including media workers, judges and activists are among more than 180 people who have been assassinated since September -- killings the US and Afghan government blame on the militants.

While some activists have been able to flee the country, most ordinary women face no option but to watch the chaos unfold.

"Being a woman in Afghanistan is not easy," Akrami said.

"I'm tired of fighting continuously and I'm on the verge of losing everything," she said.

More For You

Salman Rushdie

Rushdie was stabbed about 15 times: in the head, neck, torso and left hand, blinding his right eye and damaging his liver and intestines. (Photo: Getty Images)

Rushdie attack trial begins as jurors shown graphic details

JURORS heard how a knife attack on novelist Salman Rushdie unfolded in a matter of seconds at a 2022 New York talk and how close he came to death, in the prosecutor's opening statement on Monday (10) at the trial of the man accused of trying to murder the author.

A poet introducing the talk, on the subject of keeping writers safe from harm, was barely into his second sentence when defendant Hadi Matar bounded onto the Chautauqua Institution open-air stage and made about 10 running steps towards a seated Rushdie, Chautauqua District Attorney Jason Schmidt told the jury.

Keep ReadingShow less
Will Smith’s shout-out to Diljit Dosanjh sparks viral collaboration buzz

Will Smith’s comment on Diljit Dosanjh’s latest song sparks excitement among fans

Instagram/diljitdosanjh

Will Smith’s shout-out to Diljit Dosanjh sparks viral collaboration buzz

When Hollywood superstar Will Smith drops a comment on your Instagram post, you know something big is brewing. That’s exactly what happened when Diljit Dosanjh, the Punjabi music sensation, shared a snippet of his latest track, Tension, on social media. Smith, known for his iconic roles and global influence, left a simple yet impactful comment: “Fire!.” Diljit, clearly thrilled, responded with, “@willsmith BIG BROTHER 🦾.”

This brief exchange sent fans into a frenzy, with many speculating if a collaboration between the two stars is on the horizon. One fan wrote, “This is BIG!,” while another chimed in, “Hopefully, there are plans for you two to work together!”

Will Smith drops a "Fire!" comment on Diljit Dosanjh’s post, fuelling collaboration rumoursInstagram/diljitdosanjh

Keep ReadingShow less
Police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance

Sheeran, who began his career as a busker in the UK, said later on his Instagram account that he did have permission to perform.

Police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance in Bengaluru

A STREET performance by Ed Sheeran in Bengaluru was stopped abruptly by police last Sunday (9), outraging fans and prompting the British singer to issue a clarification.

Sheeran, dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts was seen singing and playing his guitar on a pavement in the centre of Bengaluru ahead of his concert last Sunday night.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Yvette-Cooper-Getty

Home secretary Yvette Cooper said employers had for too long been able to "exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken". (Photo: Getty Images)

Immigration arrests up 73 per cent in January

UK immigration enforcement teams made more than 600 arrests in January, a 73 per cent increase on the same period a year ago, as part of the Labour government's plan to tackle undocumented migration and people smuggling gangs, officials said on Monday (10).

The 609 arrests, compared to 352 in January 2024, were made during visits to 800 premises including nail bars, restaurants, car washes and convenience stores, a government statement said.

Keep ReadingShow less
NIFFA 2025 to open with ‘Superboys of Malegaon,’ biggest line-up yet

Superboys of Malegaon’ set to open NIFFA 2025, Australia’s biggest Indian film festival

Instagram/shashank.arora

NIFFA 2025 to open with ‘Superboys of Malegaon,’ biggest line-up yet

The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) is gearing up for its most ambitious edition yet, bringing over 40 Indian films to Australian audiences. In collaboration with Dendy, the festival will showcase three world premieres and 36 Australian premieres, featuring a diverse mix of films across multiple Indian languages, including some never seen before in Australian theatres.

Reema Kagti’s much-anticipated Superboys of Malegaon will open the festival on February 13, 2025, with a grand red-carpet gala in Sydney. The film, which previously screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival, will travel across major cities, including Canberra, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Melbourne, before a nationwide release by Forum Films.

Keep ReadingShow less