Deeba's Family

Deeba is a renowned Afghan human rights defender and founder of a women’s empowerment NGO. When the Taliban took power, she became one of the first to organize street protests. Her name was placed on a Taliban arrest list, and she barely escaped an attempted arrest by fleeing to Parwan  province. After more threats and continued pursuit, Deeba fled with her family to Pakistan, where they now live in harsh and unsafe conditions.

Her family has been in hiding for over a year. They are squeezed into a tiny rented room and cannot safely go outside together. With no legal protection, the children are barred from school and the family survives without regular meals or access to healthcare. The stress and trauma of their situation are profound. They live in fear, each day shadowed by the risk of deportation and possible death in Afghanistan.

 
In Brazil, Deeba hopes to resume her teaching and advocacy work and create a stable life for her children, free from fear.