Heela Najibullah was ten when her father, Mohammed Najibullah, became President of Afghanistan. That was in 1987.

Now she lives in Switzerland and works on peace and reconciliation. She was invited to Austria by VIDC.

Women’s rights are the main topic of debate between the Taliban, the Afghan diaspora, and the rest of the world. The rights of 50% of the country’s citizens appear to be determined by the fate of the Taliban government and how the international community wants to deal with the de facto authorities who have seized power through the use of force. They have implemented some of the strictest laws in the world since assuming power. And the majority of their harsh laws have disproportionately impacted women. The Taliban have almost eliminated Afghan women from public life since retaking power on the 15th of August 2021.

For Afghanistan to emerge from its current predicament, according to Heela Najibullah, “the people must be included in the decision-making process, especially the women of Afghanistan.” Najibullah asserts that in order for a legitimate government to take power and for Afghanistan to be neutral, “a people-centric process must be established.”