Speaking Up

Almost six months ago, a young woman named Farkhunda was beaten to death by angry mob – right here, in the heart of Kabul.

She was killed and her body was desecrated on a street I drove by everyday on my commute to work. I have never looked at the street or the people that walked along it the same way ever again.

Her death brought home again just how deadly it still is to be a woman in Afghanistan today. Now, her bruised and bloodied face will remain an iconic symbol in the movement to end violence against women here in Afghanistan.

That’s why I decided against sharing this short PSA for the Afghan Women Skills Development Center.

At the time, I felt it would have been inappropriate to call attention to it when the video of Farkhunda’s murder was far and away the most damning PSA this country could ever produce on the subject of violence against women.

But I am proud of it.

I am proud of the people that I worked with, like my production manager Hamid Reja and my brilliant editor Sam Ahmadi. I am proud of the people that contributed to the PSA, like actress Lena Alam, MMA fighter Baz Mohammad Mobarez, singer Farhad Ghafoor and even a courageous Mullah.

I am indebted to all of them for joining to speak up and call on Afghans around the country to end violence against women.

Thank you.