Lucy Hannah, founder of UNTOLD, and Zarghuna Kargaar, a journalist and author, delve deep into the inspiring narratives of Afghan women writers. They discuss the challenges these women face under Taliban rule, including severe restrictions on rights and education. The conversation highlights the significance of their voices through the anthology 'My Pen is the Wing of a Bird,' showcasing literature as a powerful tool for resilience. Their stories reflect both struggles and aspirations, emphasizing the importance of amplifying these narratives in today's world.
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Untold's Origin
Lucy Hanna's first Afghanistan experience was in 2006, working on a BBC soap opera.
This led her to later start the Untold project, supporting Afghan women writers.
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Zarghuna's Involvement
Zarghuna Kargar, a BBC journalist, joined Untold to help Afghan women writers.
She translated stories for the anthology, highlighting their experiences.
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Marie's Surprise
Marie Bamyani learned about Untold from her brother.
Getting her story published was unexpected due to the male dominance in Afghan publishing.
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This anthology is a powerful collection of stories that reflect the lives and experiences of Afghan women, delving into universal themes such as family, work, and identity. It was developed through the Write Afghanistan project, which aimed to amplify marginalized voices. The stories are both unique and universally relatable, offering insights into the complexities of life in Afghanistan.
Dear Zari
Zarghuna Kargaar
Dear Zari gives voice to the secret lives of Afghan women, sharing thirteen extraordinary stories that expose the harsh realities of life in Afghanistan. The book highlights issues such as forced marriages, child brides, and societal pressures faced by women in a patriarchal society. It also includes personal anecdotes from the author's life, weaving together a narrative of resilience and hope.
International Women's Week on Intelligence Squared. "My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream." On this episode we hearing about, and from, the Afghan women who are telling their own stories, in their own words. In 2022, when this conversation was recorded, the first anthology of fiction written by Afghan women was published in English by UNTOLD, a writer development programme for marginalised writers in areas of conflict and post-conflict. In this episode we hear from three women from the UNTOLD writers programme - Lucy Hannah, founder of UNTOLD; Zarghuna Kargaar journalist, translator, and author; and Marie Bamyani, contributing author to the anthology. Hosting this discussion is Halima Kazem, Afghanistan Oral Histories Project Manager at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and the Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Santa Cruz.
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