Bread, Work, Freedom - Feminism, Resistance, and Social Justice in Afghanistan
Date: 24th June 2025
Time: 5-7 pm
Place: Humboldt Universität Hauptgebäude, Unter den Linden 6, 10117 Berlin
Room: 3059
Language: English
No registration needed
This event, organised by the Afghanistan Research Hub (ARH), takes the slogan “Naan, Kar, Azadi” (Bread, Work, Freedom) as a point of departure to critically engage with questions of feminism, resistance, and social justice in contemporary Afghanistan. Through a panel discussion, we want to reflect on the deeper meanings of the slogan and how it articulates a broader vision for the reorganization of society, in which individuals have the means to sustain themselves, care for their families, and live with dignity and freedom. The conversation will also examine the current landscape of social justice struggles both within Afghanistan and across its diaspora.
Discussants:
- Sajia Behgam, Research Associate, University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt.
is a doctoral candidate and research assistant at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and Goethe University. She holds a master’s in public policy from the University of Erfurt and serves on the board of Medica Afghanistan. Formerly an Associate Professor at Kabul University and advisor to Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Officer, she has championed women’s and youth rights for over two decades. Her work includes pioneering research on child marriage, advocacy with the Supreme Court, and leading rehabilitation programs for survivors of violence. She co-founded the Youth and Children's Development Program (YCSP) in 1999 and the Young Leaders’ Forum, representing Afghan women globally. During the Taliban regime, she courageously ran an underground school for girls and launched a youth network.
- Somaiya Meer, PhD candidate at European University Viadrina; former associate professor at Kabul University
a former associate professor at Kabul University, is currently a PhD candidate at the European University Viadrina. She is researching the sociolinguistic dynamics of the Afghan diaspora in Germany under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Britta Schneider and PD Dr. Lutz Rzehak. She holds an MA in TESOL and a BA in English Language and Literature from Kabul University, where she lectured and contributed to curriculum reform, quality assurance, translation, and English for specific purposes instruction. Her research focuses on language variation, identity, migration, and transnationalism. She has published work on linguistic landscapes, digital tools in education and women's roles in the peace process in Kabul University’s academic journal. Her research interests include linguistics, sociolinguistics, and the intersection of language, immigration, and integration.
- Zahra Mousawy, Director & Founder of the Afghanistan Women's Studies Academy (AWSA)
Zahra Mousawy started her career as a journalist with state-run radio and television network in Kabul in 2002 and has more than 13 years of experience in managing current affairs and producing content for newsrooms in Kabul and press outlets. For the past decades, she has been an advocate for independent political, civil and social Women’s rights movements across the country and the region. As a researcher for Persian publications, Zahra writes on social issues, and in particular on gender equality. She is based in Berlin and contributes to several Persian media outlets.
Organisation and moderation by Nerges Azizi and Abdullah Athayi.
The Afghanistan Research Hub (ARH) is a collaborative platform for networking and connecting academics, researchers, scholars and institutions working on Afghanistan and its diasporas within Germany and Europe at large. For questions write to us: bim.arh@hu-berlin.de