In December 2024, Zarifa Ghafari enrolled in a Master's program at Cornell University, marking another stage in a career defined by high-stakes political conflict. As the youngest person appointed mayor in Afghanistan at age 24, her tenure in Maidan Shahr brought her into direct opposition with conservative forces, culminating in multiple attempts on her life during her 2019 to 2021 term.
Academic Foundation
Born in Kabul in 1994, Ghafari’s early education was clandestine due to restrictive rule that prohibited girls from attending school. Following the removal of the Taliban regime in 2001, she pursued formal studies despite ongoing security threats, including a bombing that wounded her. She later secured a scholarship to the University of the Punjab in India, where she completed a degree in economics between 2009 and 2015. Although she had the opportunity to remain abroad, she chose to return to Afghanistan.
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In July 2018, President Ashraf Ghani appointed Ghafari as mayor of Maidan Shahr, the capital of Wardak Province. She secured the position after outperforming male candidates in professional testing. Her appointment met immediate resistance, including protests and threats from local politicians. Upon taking office in March 2019, she endured a mob at her office and persistent warnings to resign. Due to the high risk of violence in the traditionally conservative region, she was forced to reside in Kabul while maintaining her administrative duties, which included implementing local anti-littering campaigns.
Conflict and Exile
Ghafari survived three assassination attempts throughout her career. On November 5, 2020, her father, Abdul Wasi Ghafari—a colonel in the Afghan Army—was murdered in front of their home in Kabul. Following the August 2021 withdrawal of US forces and the subsequent fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban, Ghafari fled the country. She arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, on August 18, 2021, accompanied by her partner, Bashir Mohammadi, and family members. She spent time in Germany before eventually returning to Afghanistan to document the decline of women's rights under the new regime.
Fast facts
- Born: 1994, Kabul
- Education: University of the Punjab (2009-2015)
- Positions held: Mayor of Maidan Shahr (2019-2021)
- Languages: Urdu, English, Pashto, Dari
- BBC 100 Women: 2019
- International Women of Courage Award: 2020
- Citizenship: Afghanistan
Questions readers ask
What major award did Ghafari receive for her activism?
She was honored with the International Women of Courage Award by the US Secretary of State in 2020.
Did Ghafari stay in Afghanistan after the 2021 government collapse?
She initially fled to Turkey and later Germany in August 2021, though she later returned to Afghanistan for a brief period to observe the situation.
Achievements
- mayor (2019–2021)
- Educated at University of the Punjab
