AWPL Network

“I am Noorina, an Afghan girl who has passed primary education and wished a lot to learn despite all the difficulties in my homeland, and wished to have a share in the bright future of Afghanistan.

You may hear this wish from me today, but I assure you that it is the wish of millions of girls of my age who are locked in their homes today and their only wish to achieve is to go to school and study.

Today, on behalf of these millions of deprived girls in Afghanistan, I share with you our dreams (…)

I have dreamed that the half-century war in Afghanistan ended and my generation, unlike the previous generations of Afghanistan, lives in a peaceful environment of the country without fear and insecurity.

I dream that girls in Afghanistan wake up in the morning, instead of worrying about war, oppression and depravity, they go to school with a smile on their face dream about growing up.

I dream that in the furthest village of Afghanistan a girl is sent to school. A kind and beautiful girl with a flowery dress walking among the wheat fields and wild flowers.

I have a dream that prominent women like Rabaeh, Mehsti and dozens of other heroic women and scientists of Afghanistan have been revived in the spirit of today's girls and will once again be the gift of Afghanistan and humanity.

The girls along with their brothers will talk about progress, science, culture and humanity. There will be no discrimination. Brothers will be proud of their sisters.

And I believe, all of this will be achieved with your support and help.
I am sure you will not leave us and millions of Afghan girls alone in this way.” • Noorina Karimi, 11-years-old, closing the launching event of the Afghan Women Parliamentarians and Leaders Network, April 5, 2022, Old Parliament House, Athens.