A Celebration of Women™

is elated to Celebrate the Life of this young woman with the vision to Take Action against the atrocities that the women of her homeland have suffered for generations; with intention is to ‘break the change’ of abuse, all forms of Violence Against Women.

As co-founder of Young Women for Change,

we celebrate her Courage to fight for Women’s Rights in Afghanistan. For example, she is a prime example of how most activism on this issue is by young women, the ones who are most impacted by street harassment. Young women around the world are learning to not be silent, to not ignore street harassment any longer, but rather to speak out and demand it’s end, even in a country deemed the least safe for women.

 
 
 
 

YOUTH of ACTION™

 

 

Noorjahan Akbar

 
 
 
 
Middle Eastern countries such as Afghanistan have always seen the poor treatment of women and children throughout history. Their rights have rarely been considered, and the men are always subjugating women in every area of life. It is, however fortunate, that there are a few who rise up and go against the wrong, even if it means putting their life in danger. One of them is Noorjahan Akbar, a 19-year old student at the Dickinson College, in Pennsylvania.

Noorjahan Akbar’s amazing courage in fighting for Women’s Rights in Afghanistan has inspired many, both men and women, to recognize the importance of Gender Equality and to Take Action against violence and unfair treatment to Women in Afghanistan. Young Women for Change, a women’s rights organization that Noorjahan co-founded, is actively participating in helping the women of Afghanistan stand up and claim their rights, and are inspiring many to support these efforts.

Noorjahan’s active participation in supporting gender equality and women’s rights stems from her amazing compassion and dedication towards the welfare of her fellow Afghan women.

Having received education during her young years, a privilege that most women in Afghanistan did not have, Noorjahan was exposed to the truth that women should be treated equally with men and should not be seen as inferior.

She has since developed a heart for helping other women through inspiring and encouraging them into standing up for their rights.

Noorjahan’s experience in being a part-time writer and journalist developed her confidence and courage to help her fellow Afghan women by teaching them to stand for their rights through giving them education.

Her decision in building a language center for women was indeed a challenge, since women were given very little importance and value in their society and the language center would present a threat to those who radically believed in the superiority of men over women. Yet, despite all these challenges, Noorjahan still found it important and worth the risk, often stating during interviews how she believes that women should be treated equally with men.

One of Noorjahan’s most famous collaborations is with the Afghan Children’s Songbook, a collection of folklore music and games intended for Afghan children.

Funded by the American Embassy in Afghanistan, the project enabled Noorjahan to work with the children and their families, where her love and passion for the care of women and children was further developed. This songbook project began in 1966. Louise Pascale, a United States Peace Corps volunteer lived in Kabul, Afghanistan and worked with Afghan poets and musicians to create a children’s songbook to be distributed to the schools in Kabul.

Once she collected the songs, she traveled to schools and taught them to the children and had them draw pictures to go with each song. In 1968 the songbook with the children’s illustrations was published by the Kabul Press. ABOUT HERE

She believes that once the project is completed, it will help in building up awareness in child welfare through promoting child literacy and folkloric music.

Noorjahan Akbar is a co-founder of Young Women for Change, an inspiring organization that works for gender equality in Afghanistan.

Her work with the Young Women for Change has greatly improved the way women have been treated in Afghanistan over the past years. In July 2011, Noorjahan participated in the Advocacy for Dignity, a protest march against street harassment for the women in Kabul.

This was done after an extensive study where Noorjahan learned that eighteen out of twenty women in Afghanistan have experienced street harassment. The protest march was a success, which was joined by over fifty youth and was supported by the local police, even helping them distribute flyers which raised public awareness on the fair treatment of women.

Throughout Noorjahan’s career, she has written hundreds of articles, blogs and programs which have inspired many to help the children and women of Afghanistan. Her perseverance and optimistic view that change will occur regarding the treatment of Afghan women and children has enabled her to continue working for their rights despite all of the challenges that she and her fellow women are facing.

Her dream of living a life that is dedicated to promoting gender equality and education in Afghanistan is truly an inspiring story that even at a young age; one can make a difference that can benefit the nation.

She has just been chosen as one of the recipients of the 2012 Women of Distinction Award by the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.

“Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1991, Noorjahan Akbar has had the rare opportunity of receiving an education, something not available to the majority of women in Afghanistan.

She earned scholarships to attend two years of high school at the George School in Pennsylvania, and she is currently a sophomore at Dickinson College.

Akbar learned English and computer skills when her family moved to Peshawar, Pakistan, after the Taliban entered Afghanistan.

In 2001, her family returned to Afghanistan and started an English-language center for about 400 women in the Qala-e-Fatullah region of Kabul.

At a very early age, Akbar started working with Radio Azadi (Radio Free Europe) as a writer for children’s programs. In the ensuing years, she worked as a writer and a translator at several organizations. Through her job at a German education program, she worked with children to write a book of six short stories for kids.

The collection, which was printed and distributed in Afghanistan, inspired Voices for Hope, an effort focused on teaching children to write and think creatively.

She later designed a program called Stories to Heal, which worked with 100 Afghan orphans on creative writing projects.

In summer 2011, Akbar co-founded Young Women for Change, an organization of volunteers who work for gender equality in Afghanistan.

Since then, YWC has gained nonprofit status, formed a male advocacy group, organized monthly lectures on gender and women’s studies, collected books to build libraries in Kabul and Helmand, and began conducting research on street harassment in Kabul, thanks to a new grant.
 
Gap Bezan Hero Noorjahan Akbar – Full Documentary
 

 
Published on Oct 15, 2012
This is the full documentary for our first Gap Bezan hero, Ms. Noorjahan Akbar of Kabul. She is doing amazing for work for women’s rights by speaking up to the government. Leave a comment and let us know what you think of her work. Are there areas of women’s rights where you think the government should focus more? SPEAK UP here and let everyone hear your voice!

۲)= اولین قهرمان مستند مکمل نور جهان اکبر از کابل، انها به دولت از طریق ګب بزن کارهای هیجان را برای حقوق خانم ها انجام می دهند.در باره کارهای نور جهان یک مطلب بنوسید و به ما راجعه به کارهای انها بکوید ،وهمچنان را جعه به کارهای این خانم شما چه فکر میکنید نظریه تان را ارایه نماید ،ایا جایهای اوجود دارد که دولت را جعه به حقوق زن ها زیاد تر توجه کند یانه ؟
اینجا ګب بزن اجازه بدهید تا مردم صدای تان را کوش کند !

اکر شما یا کدام شخصی دیکر علاقه دارید که تا برای حقوق زن کب بزنید لطفأ به صفحه فیسبوک ما www.facebook.com/gapbezan201
ایمل ارسال نماید [email protected] و یا به ایمل ادرس

دا زمونږ د خبری اوکړی لومړنی مکمل مستند قهرمانه نور جهان اکبرله کابل څخه ده. هفه دولت لپاره د خبری اوکړی له لاری د ښڅو حقونو لپاره حیرانونکی کارونه کوی. د هغه د کارونو په اړه یو تبصره ولیکی او مونږ ته دهغه د کارونو په اړه ووایاست. ایا د داسی نور سیمی چی د ښڅو حقونو دپاره وی چیرته چی تاسی فکر کوی چی دولت پری نور هم توجو اوکړی؟ دلته خبری اوکړی او پریدی چی نورخلک ستاسی غږ واوری!

www.facebook.com/gapbezan2012،کچیری تاسی او یا کوم بل یو کس علاقه لری چی د ښڅو حقونو لپاره خبری اوکړی، مهربانی اوکړی زمونږ فس بوک پاڼی ته لاړ شی ایمل اوکړی[email protected] او یا مونږ ته پدی ایمل ادرس
 

 
THE AUTHOR – By: Noorjahan Akbar – Afghanistan Correspondent for Safe World for Women Hello sir,

I do not know your name, but you passed by me a week after Eid-ul-Fetr in the Bazaar in Kabul. You might remember me. I was the young woman wearing a white scarf and a long red embroidered tunic with dark pants. I was standing by a vegetable stand and bargaining the price of fresh mint when you passed me and nonchalantly pinched my bottom. I turned red. The old man who was selling vegetables noticed but didn’t say anything. He probably sees this every day. This had happened to me more than once, but this time I felt more embarrassed because the old man noticed.

I ran after you and grasped your wrist. Scared and sweating I started yelling. “Why did you do that? How dare you? Do you do this at home to your family members too?” and you started yelling back louder, “you crazy woman! I haven’t done anything. You are not worth doing anything to.” Read More

FIND Noorjahan Akbar HERE: Twitter @Noorjahan Akbar

• Here is a link to their active Facebook page.
• Here is a previous story on the Xtraordinary.
• She published this article in the March 2011 issue of Friends Journal about a project to gather and record traditional Afghan music.
• Here is a profile of her work at Dickinson College.

 
 
 
 

A Celebration of Women™

is elated to welcome this young women into our Alumni of WOMEN of ACTION™  

as well as inside our ( Youth of Action™ Tribute ) for her stellar work and perseverance in a mission that is critical for the sustainable future of our world for all women.

 

 

Brava Noorjahan!