Zarifa: A Woman's Battle in a Man's World. As Featured in the NETFLIX documentary IN HER HANDS

Zarifa Ghafari is the youngest and one of the first female mayors of Maidan Wardak, Kabul. She stood her ground against corruption, promoted peace, and tried to lift up women, despite constant fear for herself and her family. When the Taliban took Kabul in 2021, she fled but returned six months later to continue her work empowering women. Her memoir offers an unparalleled perspective of the last two decades in Afghanistan.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 29 September 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Zarifa Ghafari's journey is a testament to the resilience and determination of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Born in 1998, just two years before the Taliban banned girls from schools in Afghanistan, Zarifa began her education in secret, attending classes with other girls in hidden classrooms. As the American airstrikes began, Zarifa was seven years old. Despite the challenges and dangers that came with living in a war-torn country, Zarifa remained committed to her education and her dreams.

At the age of twenty-four, Zarifa became the youngest and one of the first female mayors of Maidan Wardak, Kabul. Her election was a significant milestone for women's rights in Afghanistan, as it demonstrated that women could hold political office and make a difference in their communities. However, Zarifa's tenure as mayor was not without its challenges. An extremist mob barred her from her office, and her male staff walked out in protest. Assassins tried to kill her six times, but Zarifa stood her ground, refusing to be intimidated or silenced.

Through her unwavering commitment to her cause, Zarifa ended corruption in the province, promoted peace, and tried to lift up women, despite constant fear for herself and her family. Despite the obstacles she faced, Zarifa never lost sight of her vision for a better future for Afghanistan. When the Taliban took Kabul in 2021, Zarifa had to flee, but her determination to continue her work empowering women remained unwavering. Six months later, she returned to Kabul, determined to continue her fight for women's rights and equality.

Zarifa's memoir, "Zarifa," offers an unparalleled perspective of the last two decades in Afghanistan from a citizen, daughter, woman, and mayor. Written with honesty, pain, and ultimately, hope, Zarifa describes the work she did, the women she still tries to help as they live under Taliban rule, and her vision for how grassroots activism can change their lives and the lives of women everywhere.

Zarifa's journey is a testament to the resilience and determination of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a better future, and that grassroots activism can be a powerful force for change. Zarifa's story is a powerful reminder that we must never give up on our dreams, no matter how difficult the road may seem.

Weight: 532g
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780349017006