On 22nd August 2022, Netflix revealed the release date for a “Clinton-produced” documentary called ‘In Her Hands’ directed by Tamana Ayazi and Marcel Mettelsiefen. The documentary is about Zarifa Ghafari, an Afghan woman, who is presented as “Afghanistan’s first female mayor”, as claimed by HiddenLight Productions’ co-founders, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton. It is commendable to see the achievements of women of Afghanistan are documented. However, there is an egregious example of misrepresentation: Ghafari is not the first female mayor in Afghanistan as depicted by this latest documentary and a number of other media outlets.
It is unfortunate that Zarifa Ghafari presents herself to be the source of this false portrayal. She has presented herself as the “first female mayor of Afghanistan” and also is the youngest to be appointed at the age of 26 to gain major platforms and recognition abroad, and more importantly, taking credit for the audacity and sacrifice by other women trailblazers at home. On her official website, she promotes herself as a women’s right activist: “I will continue to work for the Afghan people, especially the women. It is important to create a worldwide movement in solidarity with women. […] I try to raise my voice and find all the unspoken words that women in Afghanistan can’t say now”. In addition, there are dozens of interviews, speaking engagements, articles, Australian media and now even a documentary, in which she has either introduced herself as the first female mayor or failed to correct the fact, which might indicate that she is either ignorant of the history or ignores other women trailblazers. Therefore, regardless of her motives, this misrepresentation is problematic on many levels.
First, let’s set the facts right: the first female mayor in Afghanistan’s post-2001 era is Azra Jafari (Twitter: @AzraJafari), who was appointed in December 2008 in Nili, Daikundi province when Zarifa was just 16 years old. According to Ms Jafari, she was forced to resign from her position in 2014 because of constant threats. Ms Jafari grew up in Iran as a refugee and returned to Afghanistan in 2002. She was appointed as mayor in December 2008. The second female mayor, Khadija Zahra Ahmadi, was also appointed in the city of Nili in 2018. Jafari and Ahmadi both belong to the Hazara community, Afghanistan’s most persecuted ethnic group.
- Change.Org Petition: Hillary Clinton, Zarifa Ghafari-Acknowledge #AzraJafari as Afghanistan’s First Female Mayor
Ghafari was appointed as mayor of Maidan Shahr, Wardak province in 2019, over a decade after the first woman held this position. The documentary was produced by Hidden Light Production (founded by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sam Branson and Chelsea Clinton) working with Netflix, Propagate Content and Moon Dogs. They began producing this documentary in 2020 when Zarifa was still mayor. The question is, how did the media outlets and those involved in this project fail to fact-check her story before investing in and launching the project? The women of Afghanistan have already been victims of war and the pretext of War on Terror projects. Why should our history be presented in a fabricated and false way?
The manipulation of the story about the first women mayors in Afghanistan needs to be looked at through the lens of ethnic dominance. Azra Jafari, a Hazara woman who became the country’s first female mayor, was ignored while a different narrative was created to glorify an ethnic Pashtun woman. Considered as second class citizen, Hazaras have a long history of persecution, slavery, marginalization and oppression in Afghanistan at the hands of Pashtun rulers, governments, tribes and nomads, including the Taliban and ISKP who are predominantly Pashtuns. They also have a longstanding history of being eliminated from the official narrative of Afghanistan.
This shows that the Hazara women in Afghanistan face increased challenges. The Hazara people only gained their constitutional rights in 2004 after the Taliban were ousted by the United States intervention. Although persecution and marginalization of the Hazaras continued after the fall of the Taliban, they were among the driving forces leading the democratisation movement in Afghanistan. Hazara women were the forerunners of participating in nation building as well as the reconstruction of Afghanistan post-2001. Not only is the first female mayor in Afghanistan a Hazara woman, but the first female Governor, the first Vice President of Afghanistan was Dr. Sima Samar, the first female Olympian and the first female idol to win the popular show ‘Afghan Star’ were also Hazaras.
It is important to note that this is not the first time an effort has been made to eliminate Hazaras from the history of Afghanistan, where historical negationism and marginalisation are strongly practiced. In 2019, the Afghanistan Ministry of Education printed new school books for ‘culture’ with information on ‘the achievements of Afghan athletes’. In the textbook, they did not mention the name of the one and only Olympian, Rohullah Nikpai (a Hazara) who has won two medals for Afghanistan so far. They also failed to add his photograph and instead added pictures of two non-Hazara athletes. Another example of this crude yet systematic discrimination is the omission of the identity of Hazara victims from the monument for the victims of the Anglo-Afghan war in Dehmazang, Kabul. The identity of other ethnic groups is stated, but not that of Hazaras. Throughout the history of Afghanistan, there has been an ongoing systematic effort made to remove Hazaras from political, economic, social, and cultural fields by dominant ethnic groups, mainly Pashtuns.
This shows that Hillary Clinton, Netflix, One Young World and anyone who supports the narrative of Zarifa Ghafari’s as the “first female mayor”, whilst remaining silent on the Hazara women mayors who preceded her, are actively participating in the distortion of the history of women’s achievements in Afghanistan. The Pashtuns who have long ruled Afghanistan have been successful in making the world believe that they have the “right” to rule Afghanistan and presented the country according to their narrative whilst actively excluding other marginalized, excluded, vulnerable and persecuted ethnic groups like the Hazaras. However, in the 21st century, there are no justifications. Information is at the tip of our fingertips and fact-checking should be a basic part of journalistic standards when writing articles and commentary. The dominant Pashtun regime has a crude yet effective propaganda machine that perpetuates the effacement of Hazaras. For Western media to perpetuate these untruths in the information age is a reflection of a naïve desire to support a convenient story of women’s empowerment. Maybe the Clinton funders just wanted to help the cause of women, but they need to understand that they are perpetuating the exclusion of other religious and ethnics when they unquestioningly champion the ruling ethnicity.
Azra Jafari and Khadija Zahra Ahmadi are both exemplary women who have not only experienced the challenge of working for women’s rights in Afghanistan, but have also suffered discrimination for being a Hazara, Shia and for championing democratic values, equality, inclusivity and human rights. If Western sponsors and Netflix are truly committed to female empowerment, it is of utmost importance that they first conduct fact-checking of information while ensuring that their platforms are given to women leaders and rights activists, particularly from the most marginalized religious communities and ethnicities, and start promoting inclusivity among Afghanistan’s women’s rights activists.
25 Responses
The misstake must be corected. Azra Jafari is the first female mayor in Afghanistan history.
Hillary Clinton and Zarifah Hhafari must correct it. plz
pashton elites always struggle to do fake our history of Afghanistan
Azra Jafari is the first female Mayor in Afghanistan history. Hilary Clinton and Zarifah Ghafari must correct it.
azrajafari-as-afghanistan-s-first-female-mayor
تاریخ افغانستان در طی سالهی دور و نزدیک دست خوش تغییرات و خود نویسی های زیادی بوده است، و این دوعامل دارد.
یکم: سهل انگاری ثبت وقایع و تاریخ توسط مردم هزاره.
دوم: تمامیت خواهی، عدم پذیرش غیر و تقلب کاری
تاریخ نویسان و اهل قلم پشتونها.
The first female mayor was Azra Jafari
تاکی جعل و دروغ لطفا بند کنید این همه جعل و دروغ را
این همه دروغ و جعل تاریخ،اولین زن شهردار در افغانستان خانم جعفری است
“Why and how do some Western documentary makers unknowingly support the political and divisive programs of some Pashtun activists in Afghanistan?” Humira Rezaei
The following text is a part of a reaction article by Dr. Hamira Rezaei, social activist and head of the British Millennials Association, which was written in connection with a “false documentary” and published on the blog analysts network website. In this article, Mrs. Rezaei is surprised by the deception of the American documentary maker named “Marcel Mettelsiefen” who unknowingly or perhaps even biasedly called an Afghan woman named Zarifa Ghafari “the first female mayor in Afghanistan”. According to this article and as witnessed by millions of Afghan citizens, Zarifa Ghaffari is not the first or even the second “female mayor”. The first female mayor in Afghanistan was Azra Jafari, who was elected as the mayor in 2008 in the central district of Nili, when Zarifa Ghafari was only 16 years old. The second female mayor was Khadijah Zahra Ahmadi, who was elected again in 2018 in the center of Nili district. Because the first and second female mayors belong to the Hazara people, they are thus ignored. Read the rest of the article on the Bolaq website “www.bolaq.org”…
Note:
Western documentaries and journalists are not really to blame, they are just being deceived into supporting a series of lies in Afghanistan. The main culprits in these games are us “millennials” who do not have the language and use our social networks only to post pictures of bread, announcement of Fatiha, and worthless issues like these. Neither we ourselves have anything in mind to write and publish, nor do we have the courage to republish a valuable post from someone else. It is not without reason that in Afghanistan and Pakistan we are killed like a flock of sheep and in the West we live like the deaf and blind and we never understand what is happening around us.
To those who value precious things, please republish this article very, very widely so that it may be prevented from becoming a falsehood.
https://www.bolaq.org/2022/09/how-western-documentary-makers-are-unwittingly-supporting-the-divisive-political-agendas-of-afghanistans-pashtun-elite/
Why and how do some Western documentary makers unknowingly support the political and divisive programs of some Pashtun activists in Afghanistan?” Humira Rezaei
The following text is a part of a reaction article by Dr. Hamira Rezaei, social activist and head of the British Millennials Association, which was written in connection with a “false documentary” and published on the blog analysts network website. In this article, Mrs. Rezaei is surprised by the deception of the American documentary maker named “Marcel Mettelsiefen” who unknowingly or perhaps even biasedly called an Afghan woman named Zarifa Ghafari “the first female mayor in Afghanistan”. According to this article and as witnessed by millions of Afghan citizens, Zarifa Ghaffari is not the first or even the second “female mayor”. The first female mayor in Afghanistan was Azra Jafari, who was elected as the mayor in 2008 in the central district of Nili, when Zarifa Ghafari was only 16 years old. The second female mayor was Khadijah Zahra Ahmadi, who was elected again in 2018 in the center of Nili district. Because the first and second female mayors belong to the Hazara people, they are thus ignored. Read the rest of the article on the Bolaq website
I was in 12 grad at school in 2008 which is anounced that Ozra Jafari is the mayor of Nili, Diakundi province. It was a symbol for girls at school which made encouragement the girls to hard study.
it is the same story as black feminism, where ethnicity is much more important then sex.
FYI about Pashtuns and Taliban: Taliban is a religious group not ethnic group. You’re blaming western media who covered Hazaras more than any other groups. They are and they were silent on thousands of drone strikes and night raids one which US killed hundreds of thousands Pashtuns no one even Hazaras who claims to be Afghans were silent. Taliban killed more Pashtuns than any other ethnic groups.
I respect Hazaras sacrifices but please don’t be that ****. You also claim to be Humans rights activist but you believe just Hazaras are Humans Pashtuns are not. If killings by Americans were true then Taliban are also right you were helping Invaders. There are so many things unfortunately I can’t write all in one comment. But try to be Human not racist.
Thank you
Good and reliable article with precise points and examples.
They always falsify history
She was liar and deceiver.
Once we had a meeting at UNESCO and Ms. Ghaffari was a special invitee. Besides all her inspiring stories to our community people from rural areas, she said that “It is really difficult to be a woman and work in this men’s country. Honestly, still, there is a lot of discrimination, and I am struggling with my dignity in Maidan Wardak municipality.”
And, in fact, I had many friends from Wardak and most of them were saying that she is a weak lady. She cannot work well even in the capital where barriers are not enough against women, so absolutely sending her to Maidan Wardak is a big mistake. She needs more time to come to peace with herself, her dignity and feelings, maybe a decade later, she can start working.
She is not the first mayor in Afghanistan the first mayor was Ozra Jafari (Hazara) and they are making the lie .
Azra Jafari was the firs female Mayor in Afghanistan. This big mistake should be corrected by people trying to auccupai the history.
من نفرت و انزجار خود را از تقلب و تحریف حقیقت تو سط ظریفه غفاری اعلام میدارم
ظریفه غفاری یک دروغگویی شیاد است
اولین شهر دار زن در تاریخ افغانستان بانو عذراجعفری است
دومین شهر دار زن در تاریخ افغانستان بانو مهندس خدیجه زهرا احمدی است
Do not distort yesterday’s reality today. Azra Jafari is the first female mayor in Afghanistan.
The Pushtoons lies about everything. The country has cone into being on bases of lie.
ظریفه غفاری یک دروغگوی است. او اولین شاروال زن در افغانستان نیست بلکه عذرا جعفری اولین شاروال زن در افغانستان است.
ظریفه غفاری در دوران وظیفه اش دزدی هم کرد و نیروهای امنیتی ظریفه غفاری را با پول دزدی شهرداری میدان وردک از میدان هوایی کابل دستگیر کرد و بعد ظریفه با واسطه بازی بر قضیه سرپوش گذاشت.
The story of Zarifa Ghaffari’s “false” claim
These days, many users on Twitter and Facebook have launched a campaign against the claim of Zarifa Ghaffari, the former mayor of Maidan Wardak – who called herself “Afghanistan’s first female mayor” in America. Activists of social networks are suing for another woman who worked as a mayor for the first time in the history of the country.
This issue became hot in social networks when Zarifa Ghafari wrote herself as the first female mayor of Afghanistan on her website (zarifaghafari.com). Similarly, Zarifa Ghaffari’s documentary film entitled “In his hands” is scheduled to be broadcast on Netflix in November of this year. It is believed that she will be mentioned as the first female mayor in this film.
Some critics of the movie “In his hands” believe that this documentary will probably be nominated for this year’s Oscars in the category of documentary films. He is also a finalist for the Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament.
The users considered this “false” claim of the mayor of Maidan Wardak in 2019 as an attempt to “distort history”, “lying and defrauding another woman”.
Meanwhile, #Azra Jafari started her work in the city of Nili-Daikundi as the first female mayor in the history of Afghanistan in 2007 and served in this post until 2013.
Elias Taheri
The author has to do some more research. She was the first mayor female appointed through Civil Servant Commission which you have to go through certain exams and the recommendation does not work. The other female mayor which was appointed in 2008 never gone through any exam but direct appointment by President or local governance directorates called IDLG.
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