Afghanistan’s first female mayor recounts the hardships she endured when she first took on her job. Azra Jafari has picked up the nickname Mr. Mayor and continues to gain respect from the male and female community. Coming into such a job as being mayor had some challenges like the salary which was $76 a month while raising a young daughter and facing important issues in Nili such as roads and investments. It wasn’t until 2009 that Nili saw its first female mayor. The town consists of around 40,000 people so skepticism and opposition about pursuing this position is ever present.
Jafari
admits she did not come from a wealthy family and she also spoke about the
treatment of women in Afghanistan. She was raised in a poor area and therefore
had the opportunity to see and experience personally the struggles and
challenges of the less fortunate. She is married to an Afghan who is a film
maker and she takes her job and her role in the town of Nili seriously. Every day
she makes the dangerous journey with her daughter from their home to Nili but
she does so with confidence and strength so that she may be able to benefit
those in need.
I chose
this article because with all of the stories of women being harmed,
disrespected, and undermined Azra Jafari’s story shows that women can and are
stepping out of the norm in their society and trying to make a difference. She will
and has faced negative attitudes and I’m sure the days are rough and exhausting
but she continues to push forward and work to make a difference.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/24/afghanistan-first-female-mayor
Ashley Lumsden
3/8/13 9:23 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment