In August 2021, as the Taliban took over Kabul, the international community evacuated thousands of Afghan women human rights defenders whose lives were at risk. These women and their families were taken to countries such as Turkey, Greece, Albania, and Qatar while their resettlement processes began. More than a year later, many of them are still in transit. Many of their family members are still in Afghanistan; their friends and colleagues are dispersed around the world in search of safety and security; and their lives are seemingly on hold.
Inspired by “Sampling Watana” by Afghan diaspora artists Moshtari Hilal and Kabul Fire Records - VOICE explored the possibilities of visually piecing the realities of these women together through collage drawing from the past, present, and future, while advocating for new and safe futures for Afghan women.
These collages explore ideas of home, belonging, transitory states, and the lives we build (and are sometimes forced to choose). They tell us that home is still a long way away for most Afghan women, as these human rights defenders await decisions from governments that debate their futures and freedoms without them.
Read VOICE's full report: "Taking Myself Out of the Darkness: Afghan Human Rights' Defenders Fight for Recognition."