Skateboarding is pretty cool.  A girl skateboarding is awesome.  But a girl skateboarding in Afghanistan?  Probably couldn’t get better than that. Skateistan began as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Now, they’re an international nonprofit charity providing skateboarding and educational programming in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Pakistan.  Their main goal is to use ... Read More

There’s a woman in a small village who, against all odds, dares to challenge authority and ride a motorbike to fight crime. And no, I’m not talking about Lisbeth Salander. The 50-year-old Zarifa Qazizadah, who was forced to marry at 12 and now has 15 children and 36 grandchildren, is Afghanistan’s sole female village chief. That's a feat in itself, but the BBC reports that this brave leader has even remortgaged her home to ... Read More

About 150 female students and several female teachers in an Afghan high school were hospitalized today after drinking contaminated water at their high school. Local health officials report that the water was poisoned; the girls experienced vomiting, partial loss of consciousness, and dizziness. The students were reported to be in critical condition but there have been no reported deaths. Local officials are “100% sure” that the ... Read More

A small but dedicated group of young female boxers in Afghanistan are learning vital self-defense skills and dreaming of Olympic stardom, according to a story from Al-Arabiya News. Training in a space formerly used by the Taliban for public punishments, the athletes still face serious threats from conservatives who believe that females shouldn’t learn how to fight: “Two years ago someone called my father...and threatened that he ... Read More

At 583 Park Avenue last Wednesday, a group of about 350 people sat at round tables under the high ceiling and massive chandelier. The crowd, which was mostly women, chatted abut their lives, made introductions, and talked about the state of affairs in Afghanistan as they munched on chicken and vegetables. This was Women for Women International's 2011 fundraiser luncheon. The event included a discussion about Afghanistan with panelists ... Read More