International Women's Day: Mahrokh’s Pursuit of Equality and Justice.
Mahrokh Mirzayi, born in Afghanistan in 1997, is a staunch advocate for human rights, women's rights, democracy, and freedom of speech. In March 2020, she joined the Women Core Group for Peace in Afghanistan and passionately lobbied for women's inclusion in the peace process at provincial and national levels.
Starting with the Danish Refugee Council and later joining IOM—UN Migration, Mahrokh aided Afghan families seeking reunification in Germany. Progressing to a Senior Protection and Rule of Law Manager role with the IRC, she provided crucial support to refugees and vulnerable individuals.
Mahrokh joined the IOM Protection Unit in 2021, focusing on aiding undocumented Afghan returnees, advocating for violated rights, and facilitating post-arrival assistance.
In March 2023, with TBB's support, Mahrokh moved to the UK with her family. She is now an Immigration Paralegal at Fragomen, skillfully navigating UK immigration law. A year later, Mahrokh shares about the challenges faced by women in Afghanistan and the difficult decision to leave her homeland.
In Afghanistan, the journey of womanhood commences with a bitter flavor, tainted by societal biases that cast them aside from birth. To be born a girl is to be greeted with disappointment rather than celebration. From the onset, women are relegated to secondary status and condemned to a life of perpetual discrimination and inequality. This bitter truth permeates even the sanctity of our own homes, where I, among my six sisters, bore witness to countless injustices.
As a child, I dared to defy these oppressive norms, advocating for my right to education in a world that deemed it unworthy of a girl's pursuit. Yet, the roots of neglect and violation run deep, stretching across generations. Undeterred, I forged ahead, determined to shatter the glass ceiling and prove that women are capable leaders in their own right, not confined to domestic roles.
However, the dark shadow of the Taliban's resurgence in August 2021 eclipsed our hard-fought progress. Overnight, our freedoms were stripped away, our dreams extinguished by a regime intent on subjugating women to archaic roles. The Taliban's draconian mandates barred girls from schools, sealed the doors of universities shut to women, and banished them from the workforce. The sanctuary of beauty salons, once a refuge for women seeking solace, now lay deserted, as did shelters for victims of domestic violence. Legal avenues for recourse dwindled as female legal practitioners vanished, leaving women voiceless in the face of injustice.
I, too, felt the suffocating grip of oppression tighten around me. Threatened by my ties to international communities, I made the agonizing decision to flee Afghanistan. Joining Fragomen as a Paralegal in March 2023 offered me sanctuary, but the wounds of separation from my family fester. My sisters languish in a land where their aspirations are crushed under the heel of tyranny, denied the fundamental rights of education, employment, and safety.
In Afghanistan's culinary tapestry, the taste of freedom has soured, leaving a bitter aftertaste of despair. Yet, amidst the darkness, a flicker of hope remains—a hope that one day, Afghan women's resilience will triumph over oppression, and their voices will resonate, loud and clear, across the land.
Mahrokh and her family arriving in the UK, March 2023
I first learned about Talent Beyond Boundaries while searching for a way to leave my country. My family and I were living in high-risk circumstances, with our lives under threat. I was working for the United Nations and have long been a dedicated activist for the rights of women and girls. This meant I was a target for the new regime, and as the situation deteriorated and then Kabul fell, I was desperately exploring any option to get my young son, husband, and I to safety.
I stumbled upon Talent Beyond Boundaries' website, an organization dedicated to supporting displaced talented individuals. Initially, I held reservations about my prospects, but I completed the application, and to my surprise, within a week, they reached out to me. This unexpected response served as a beacon of hope during what seemed like the darkest days of my life.
Engaging in this initiative has profoundly impacted my and my family’s lives. Living in Afghanistan, my association with international communities and the women’s rights movement exposed us to significant security risks. However, upon arriving in the UK through Talent Beyond Boundaries and Fragomen, where I was offered an Immigration Paralegal role, positive changes unfolded.
My husband secured employment, and my son now attends school. This has made a remarkable impact on our lives. No longer does my son ask me whether the Taliban will intercept us at a checkpoint, posing a threat to our safety. Being in the UK has allowed us to practice our beliefs, ensuring a sense of security, freedom of movement, and equal rights as human beings, independent of gender considerations.
As a displaced woman, I feel that the importance of equality and women's rights resonates with heightened urgency. The agony of separation from my homeland serves as a poignant reminder of the dire consequences of inequality and oppression. In the face of adversity, we must stand united and unwavering in our pursuit of justice and empowerment.
I extend a message of unwavering resilience and solidarity to my fellow women. Though we may be scattered across continents, our struggles are bound by a common thread of perseverance. Let us refuse to be silenced by fear or shackled by oppression. Together, we possess the strength to defy expectations, break barriers, and forge a path toward a future where every woman is afforded the dignity and rights she deserves.
In the mosaic of humanity, women are not mere adornments but vital contributors deserving of recognition and respect. Let us raise our voices in unison, a symphony of defiance against injustice. For in our unity lies the promise of a brighter tomorrow, where the flame of equality burns bright and casts its glow upon generations yet to come.
