Benafsha Yaqoobi
Afghan disability rights activist
Benafsha Yaqoobi (also known as Benafsha Yaqubi) is an Afghan disability rights activist. She was made one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2021.
Career
Benafsha Yaqoobi was born blind in Afghanistan and became a disability rights activist.[1] She studied Persian literature in Iran and then took two masters degrees in Kabul, before working at the Attorney General's Office.[2] With her husband Mahdi Salami, who is also blind, she founded the Rahyab Organisation to assist and educate blind people.[2]
From 2019 onwards, Yaqoobi was a commissioner at the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) until she fled Afghanistan with her husband in 2021 after the Taliban retook power. On their third attempt to leave, they made it to Kabul airport and traveled to the UK.[3]
Yakubi and her husband, who are both visually impaired, founded Rahyab, which aims to provide education and rehabilitation for the visually impaired in Afghanistan. Human rights activist Benafsha Yakubi also served on the country's independent human rights commission and worked for the education of visually impaired children.[4]
In 2020, Yaqoobi was a candidate for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.[5] She was made one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2021.[6]
References
- ^ "Blind Afghan activist fears for disabled people living in homeland". ITV News. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Beginning of a New Era at the AIHRC: Nine fresh commissioners". Afghanistan Analysts Network - English (in Pashto). 20 July 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ Murray, Jessica (6 September 2021). "Disabled Afghans in special jeopardy, warns exiled campaigner". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "BBC'nin 2021 yılı 100 Kadın listesi yayımlandı: Bu yılki listede Sevda Altunoluk ve Elif Şafak da var". BBC News Türkçe (in Turkish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "CRPD Committee Elections". WFD. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "BBC 100 Women 2021: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
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100 Women by BBC in 2021
Lima Aafshid · Oluyemi Adetiba-Orija · Rada Akbar · Catherine Corless · Pashtana Durrani · Saeeda Etebari · Sahar Fetrat · Melinda French Gates · Saghi Ghahraman · Angela Ghayour · Najlla Habibyar · Shamsia Hassani · Mugdha Kalra · Freshta Karim · Aliya Kazimy · Helena Kennedy · Iman Le Caire · Depelsha Thomas McGruder · Fahima Mirzaie · Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie · Lynn Ngugi · Rehana Popal · Rohila · Alba Rueda · Elif Shafak · Anisa Shaheed · Mina Smallman · Barbara Smolińska · Adelaide Lala Tam · Vera Wang · Malala Yousafzai ·
Halima Aden · Leena Alam · Sevda Altunoluk · Nilofar Bayat · Carolina García · Ghawgha · Chloé Lopes Gomes · Tanya Muzinda · Razma · Roya Sadat · Shogufa Safi · Sahar · Fatima Sultani · Nanfu Wang · Ming-Na Wen · Rebel Wilson
Muqadasa Ahmadzai · Abia Akram · Alema Alema · Wahida Amiri · Natasha Asghar · Marcelina Bautista · Crystal Bayat · Razia Barakzai · Najla El Mangoush · Shila Ensandost · Fatima Gailani · Momena Ibrahimi · Hoda Khamosh · Elisa Loncón Antileo · Maral · Masouma · Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa · Salima Mazari · Amanda Nguyen · Basira Paigham · Monica Paulus · Manjula Pradeep · Halima Sadaf Karimi ·Soma Sara · Mahbouba Seraj · Ein Soe May · Piper Stege Nelson · Ann Rose Nu Tawng · Emma Theofelus · Benafsha Yaqoobi · Zala Zazai
Mónica Araya · Zuhal Atmar · Jos Boys · Faiza Darkhani · Azmina Dhrodia · Jamila Gordon · Laila Haidari · Zarlasht Halaimzai · Nasrin Husseini · Amena Karimyan · Mia Krisna Pratiwi · Heidi Larson · Sevidzem Ernestine Leikeki · Mahera · Mulu Mesfin · Mohadese Mirzaee · Tlaleng Mofokeng · Natalia Pasternak Taschner · Ruksana · Sara Wahedi · Roshanak Wardak · Yuma Yuma
2020 ← → 2022
