This is a list of women writers who were born in Afghanistan or whose writings are closely associated with that country.

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Atia Abawi Atia Abawi is an American author and television journalist. While working as a foreign correspondent, she was based in Kabul, Afghanistan, for almost five years. Her first book, the critically acclaimed ''The Secret Sky: A Novel of Forbidden Lov ...

(born 1982), American author and television journalist of Afghan descent * Lina AbiRafeh, Arab-American (non-Afghan) author of '' Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan'' *

Muqadasa Ahmadzai Muqadasa Ahmadzai (born 1992/1993) is a social activist, politician and poet from Afghanistan, who ran in 2018 for election to the Afghan parliament. She is the recipient of a N-Peace Award and was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2021. B ...

(born 1992/1993), poet, social activist, and politician * Soraya Alekozei (born 1955), Afghan-born memoirist, interpreter, and veteran, based in Germany *

Najwa Alimi Najwa Alimi is an Afghan journalist and human rights activist. She won the 2019 Per Anger Prize for her efforts supporting human rights and freedom of speech, In 2022, she was awarded the Anna Lindh prize . Alimi was born in Fayzabad, Badakhshan. S ...

, journalist, humanitarian * Shakaiba Sanga Amaj (1986–2007), assassinated journalist * Zarghona Anaa (?–1772), poet * Nadia Anjuman (1980–2005), poet *

Asma Rasmya Asma Rasmya or Asma Rasmiya Khanum (1877 – ?), was an Afghan editor, school principal and feminist. She has been referred to as the first female managing editor as well as the first female principal in Afghanistan. She was the mother of queen S ...

(1877–?), editor, school principal, and feminist * Najiba Ayubi journalist and activist

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* Fevziye Rahgozar Barlas (born 1955), poet, and short story writer * Babo Jan (fl. 1880), Afghan royal consort and poet * Basira Joya (c.2001) news anchor for

Zan TV Zan TV (''Women TV/تلویزیون زن'' in Dari) is an Afghan television channel that almost exclusively employs women, and offers programming that especially addresses issues relevant to women in Afghanistan. Founded by Hamid Samar, a media en ...

and Ariana Television Network

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Maryam Durani Maryam Durani (مَریَم دورانی) (born 1987) is an Afghanistan, Afghan activist and women's advocate. In 2012 she received the International Women of Courage Award. Life and career Maryam Durani is the daughter of Haji Mohammad Eisa D ...

(born 1987), activist, journalist, * Ayesha Durrani (18th-century), poet

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Zohre Esmaeli Zohre Esmaeli (born 1 July 1985) is a model, designer and author from Afghanistan. She lives in Berlin, Germany. She was said to be the only international top model from Afghanistan in 2014. Biography Early years Zohre Esmaeli was born on Jul ...

(born 1985), author, model, and designer, based in Berlin

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* Wahida Faizi (born 1994), journalist * Khalida Furugh (born 1972), poet and academic

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Chékéba Hachemi Chékéba Hachemi ( prs, شکیبا هاشمی), (born May 20, 1974) is an Afghan feminist and writer. She was the first Afghan woman to be named diplomat, in 2001. Hachemi is the President and founder of the NGO Afghanistan Libre. Early life an ...

(born 1974), writer and diplomat *

Rangina Hamidi Rangina Hamidi (Pashto: رنګینه حمیدي; born 1978) is an Afghan-American writer, educator, social activist and politician. She is well known as an advocate for women's rights in Afghanistan and has engaged in various social projects to em ...

(born 1978), writer, educator, social activist and politician * Nadia Hashimi (born 1977), Afghan-American novelist and pediatrician

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* Malalai Joya (born 1978), activist, writer, and a politician

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* Fowzia Karimi author and illustrator *

Fawzia Koofi Fawzia Koofi ( fa, فوزیه کوفی, ; born in 1975) is an Afghan politician, writer, and women's rights activist. Originally from Badakhshan province, Koofi was recently a member of the Afghan delegation negotiating peace with the Taliban i ...

(born 1975) politician, memoirist and women's rights activist

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* Maryam Mahboob (born 1955), author known for her writing on Afghan patriarchy and migrants *

Farzana Marie Farzana Marie (born in 1983) is the pen name of Felisa Hervey, an American poet, author, and former United States Air Force officer. Early life Hervey was born in California to Episcopal Church missionary parents, Debbie and John Hervey. Felis ...

(born 1983 or 1984) American writer and Dari translator * Saeeda Mahmood, journalist * Horia Mosadiq, journalist, activist, and political analyst

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Fariba Nawa Fariba Nawa (born 1973) is an Afghan-American freelance journalist who grew up in both Herat and Lashkargah in Afghanistan as well as Fremont, California. She was born in Herat, Afghanistan to a native Afghan family., by Fariba Nawa, Lemar-Aftaab ...

(born 1973), Afghan-born American freelance journalist

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Homeira Qaderi Homeira Qaderi (Dari: حمیرا قادری, also spelled Homeira Qadari) born in 1980 is an Afghan writer, advocate for women's rights, and professor of Persian literature, currently serving as a Robert G. James Scholar Fellow at Radcliffe Ins ...

(born 1980), writer, activist and educator

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Parween Pazhwak Parween Pazhwak (born in 1967 in Kabul) is an Afghan artist from Afghanistan and a modern poet and writer of the Persian language. Biography Parween Pazhwak was born to the Pazhwak literary and political family, her father and mother being Ne'mat ...

(born 1967), writer, poet, activist

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* Fatima Rahimi (born 1992), Afghan-born Czech journalist and radio presenter * Layla Sarahat Rushani (1952/1954–2004), Afghan-born poet, lived in Netherlands

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Sana Safi Sana Safi (ثنا ساپۍ - born 1989) is an Afghan broadcast journalist, currently working for BBC World News, BBC World Service Early life Sana Safi was born in Kabul and brought up in Kandahar, Helmand Province, Helmand, in Nangarhar Provinc ...

(born 1989), broadcast journalist * Saira Shah, British of Afghan-descent author, reporter and documentary filmmaker * Sahira Sharif, politician and founder of literary society Mirman Baheer * Nafeesa Shayeq, journalist, feminist

T

Nazo Tokhi Nāzo Tokhī (نازو توخۍ), commonly known as Nāzo Anā ( ps, نازو انا, "Nazo the grandmother"), was an Afghan poetess and a writer in the Pashto language. Mother of the famous early-18th century Afghan king Mirwais Hotak, she grew ...

(1651–1717), writer and poet

W

Shaista Wahab Shaista Wahab has written Dari language books. Her book ''A Brief History of Afghanistan'' was published in 2007. Wahab was a librarian and professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she coordinated the Arthur Paul Afghanistan Collection ...

, writer in Dari, librarian, and professor

Y

Sakena Yacoobi Sakena Yacoobi ( fa, سکینه یعقوبی) is an Afghani activist known for her work for promoting access to education for women and children. She is the founder and executive director of the women-led NGO Afghan Institute of Learning. For he ...

(born 1949/1950), writer, and activist * Elham Yaghoubian, writer, politician * Gaisu Yari, human rights activist, women's rights activist, writer, blogger, and speaker * Malala Yousafzai (born 1997) activist and author of '' I Am Malala''

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* Zakia Zaki (c. 1972–2007), journalist * Spôjmaï Zariâb (born 1949/1952), short story writer *

Maliha Zulfacar Maliha Zulfacar (born 1961) is an Afghan university professor and was the ambassador of Afghanistan to Germany from 2006 to 2010. Early life Zulfacar was born in 1961 in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Her father was a diplomat. After complet ...

(born 1961), writer, professor, and was the ambassador of Afghanistan to Germany from 2006 to 2010.

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See also