Hazara Women of Afghanistan Share Digital Stories | The Jüdische Kulturbund Project

We need to tell our stories. We need to do advocacy. I encourage you all to do so. —Dr. Sima Samar

This program marks the first-ever digital storytelling initiative dedicated exclusively to empowering Hazara women, providing them a unique platform to share their voices
and experiences.

Hazara Women of Afghanistan Share Digital Stories is a hybrid digital empowerment program designed to support refugees in the D.C. metropolitan area and Malmö, Sweden, by providing them with digital literacy and storytelling skills.

In January 2025, facilitators led four weekly sessions encouraging participants to express themselves and share inspiring stories from their communities, promoting peace and unity. This program fosters collaboration, creativity, and confidence while amplifying the voices of Hazara women.

A key long-term goal is to help Hazara women in the Afghanistani diaspora recognize the importance of sharing their life experiences. Through storytelling, they can better understand their journeys and reshape their identities. For centuries, women have used storytelling to convey knowledge, preserving vital aspects of their cultural heritage. The Taliban’s silencing of women’s voices and narratives poses a significant threat to Hazara’s identity. Additionally, the generalized story of women in Afghanistan mustn’t subsume the unique experiences of Hazara women of Afghanistan.

We are excited to launch this program, believing that sharing Hazara women’s digital stories will empower them and inspire greater understanding and appreciation of their resilience.

An Introduction by Zareen Taj

Story Projects

The pilot program for Hazara Women of Afghanistan kicked off in January 2025. The US and Swedish participants produced 15 digital story projects, showcased in February at the US-Afghan Women’s Council in Washington, DC.