Recipient of a full scholarship scheduled to start in September 2025
Mahdia has always looked up to her mother as a role model. As a former member of Afghanistan’s National Assembly, her mother dedicated her life to combating discrimination against women in both work and education. On October 24, 2010, the Taliban kidnapped Mahdia’s mother and held her captive for ten days. They only released her after she promised to put an end to her activism.
This traumatic experience motivated Mahdia to continue her mother’s mission. In 2018, she established the Women’s Association in Kabul’s Third District, an organization committed to combating domestic abuse and forced marriages. She also helped develop educational materials and workshops for over one hundred other women’s rights advocacy programs.
Mahdia completed six years of her medical degree at one of the most prestigious universities in Afghanistan in Kabul. Her goal was to become a doctor, helping improve the lives of Afghan women by providing them with medical treatment and educating them about their health rights. Her dream was shattered on August 15, 2021, when Kabul fell into the hands of the Taliban. Mahdia’s involvement as an activist and her affiliation with the persecuted Hazara Sadat (a Shia ethnic minority) left her especially vulnerable. After months of living in hiding, she escaped to a neighbouring country on January 13, 2022. However, even there, Mahdia isn’t safe.
In that host country, the Hazara community has been targeted by extremists for the past three decades. Moreover, all Afghan refugees without proper documentation, like Mahdia, are consistently at risk of being deported. As a result, they are forced to live in hiding and to endure harsh conditions. According to Human Rights Watch, female Afghan refugees in her host country suffer from high rates of exploitation, gender based violence and are unable to access basic services such as medical treatment.
Even in these difficult conditions, furthering her education remains a priority for Mahdia. She dedicates four hours each day to studying English online. For the Refugees is committed to helping Mahdia complete her studies in a safe environment in Canada and fortunately Mahdia is the recipient of a full scholarship in one of Canada’s most prestigious universities. Mahdia has chosen to change her field from medicine to law as she believes that through international law, she will be better equipped to serve women and girls in Afghanistan.