Fwazi Koofi 2014!

  My last post briefly discussed the challenges women are facing in the nation of Afghanistan. I also mentioned that women were given more rights after the liberation of the Taliban. Among these new rights is the right to run for political office. The brave woman Fawzi Koofi was elected to serve as vice president of the National Assembly and speaker of the Parliament and plans to run for presider of Afghanistan in 2014.

  Fwazi was born in Badakhshan, Afghanistan during a time when women had very few rights. In fact, it was seen as an embarrassment to have a female child. Because of her father's desire to have a son, Fwazi Koofi was left for dead as an infant. However, her family spared her life and gave her an education. She would become a dominate figure in women's rights activism.

  When Koofi was elected to the National Assembly in 2005, she committed her career to improving the quality of life and education of women as well as reducing the violence against women and children. This included opening non-formal schools, improving access to good schools, and fighting for laws to allow women to be given equal trials when it comes to cases of violence.

  Due to her political position, Fwazi Koofi has faced numerous death threats from extremist groups and traditional muslims who oppose women's rights. The threats, of course, escalated when she announced her presidential candidacy for 2014, making her the first women candidate for the office of president. he is already the first female Speaker, if nominated for president, she well make human rights history!

  Fwazi Koffi is also an author. She explains her personal life and polotical journey in the novels Letters to My Daughters and The Favored Daughter: One Woman's Fight to Lead Afghanistan Into The Future. She discusses her works and life in an interview on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." The interview can be found using this link: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-13-2013/fawzia-koofi The second part: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-13-2013/exclusive---fawzia-koofi-extended-interview-pt--2