Dr. Sima Samar is an internationally acclaimed human rights defender and political figure. She joined the struggle as a political activist in Afghanistan at the time of the 1978 Communist coup. She faced immense personal loss in her defence of freedom in the face of the ruling party’s authoritarianism and egregious human rights abuses. Dr. Sima went on to run a women’s organisation which delivered health and education services in conflict affected and refugee communities during the successive stages of Afghanistan’s conflict. In 2001 Dr. Sima became the Afghan Republic’s first Minister for Women’s Affairs and subsequently the Director of its Independent Human Rights Commission, as well as serving as Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Sudan. With the Taliban takeover in 2021, Dr. Sima found her life turning full circle.

Dr. Sima Samar recently published her English memoir “Outspoken My fight for freedom and human rights in Afghanistan”. In this episode Dr. Sima tells us about the struggle and popular mobilisation as Afghans started to resist the Communist government in 1978 and reflects on the consolidation of patriarchy during the conflict. She reflects on the threats and opportunities facing a new generation of Afghans mobilising to regain their freedom.

Podcast produced by Colm Heatley.