Peace is the continuation of life… Peace is life.

Shereen Maira Sazawar, born in Afghanistan, is a talented journalist. She writes regularly in the local newspapers on issues concerning women and human rights. She is an active member of the Women’s Council in Mazar-e-Sharif. For the past three decades Shereen has been active through the media and has also penned numerous poems in Dari and Uzbeki. She has recently written an article in a local newspaper about the grievous condition of women and the degrading attitude of the warlords towards them, thus risking her life and attracting accusations of blasphemy by the religious extremists.

Witnessing the inhumane treatment and degrading attitude of warlords and religious extremists towards women in Afghanistan, Shereen Sazawar was motivated to speak out and raise grave concerns about the rights of women in this underdeveloped country. The recent changes in favor of a relatively peaceful situation and a new democratic arena have reinvigorated her commitment to mobilize women to stand up for a better future for themselves and for their children. In one of her latest articles, Shereen has drawn attention to the warlords' brutal crimes against women and the impunity for warlords. This stand has instigated harsh criticism from the extremists who issued a "fatwa" (religious edict) labeling her an apostate and demanding her execution. However, all this harassment did not deter her from continuing her fight to end violence and abusive behavior towards women, despite the vulnerable life in a country like Afghanistan.

Journalist Association of Afghanistan (JAA) Women’s Council in Mazar-e-Sharif Independent Writers Association (IWA)