When Zakia was 16 years old, her father was arranging her marriage to a 50-year-old man. Already in love with a boy named Tariq and unable to change her father's mind, she ran away with Tariq.  Zakia’s father and brother found the couple, killed Tariq and stabbed Zakia several times. They slashed her throat and left her for dead. But Zakia held her slit throat closed and walked half a mile, for help, and survived. She is recovering in our shelter. WAW is paying for her medical treatment, and our lawyers have filed charges against her father and brother to ensure justice forZakia and Tariq. Our caseworkers are helping her recover physically and emotionally. Zakia is now in school and is hopeful about her future.

18 year old Fatima was abducted by a group of armed men which included the head of her village from her home in Baghlan Province.  

Fatima told her WAW counselor: “Six people entered our house at night and three of them started beating up my poor parents with guns.  They broke my father’s head and hand.  I shouted and three of them pointed their guns at me, threatening to kill me. They locked my father in a room. I had been beaten so badly that I couldn’t walk – they put me on a donkey and took me to a Mullah’s house where I was allowed to sleep.  The next morning the Mullah forcefully raped me.  This went on for six days and nights, and then they married me to the Mullah without my consent."

Fatima's mother repeatedly went to the police and government authorities and implored them to search for her.  Only nine months later did they actually find Fatima. The Mullah had supporters who were able to warn him about the warrant for his arrest, so he moved Fatima to the mountains where no one would find her.  He moved her back to the village when the coast was once again clear. Finally at about 10 o'clock one night, the police surrounded the Mullah's house.  Fatima was hidden inside a neighbor’s wall and the Mullah escaped to the mountains.  The police found Fatima at 5 am the next morning and that was when her quest for justice began. 

The police referred Fatima to WAW, and she came to the Kunduz shelter immediately. Fatima and her mother stayed with us for 20 days before her father took them home. Fatima was able to rest, and also receive counselling and medical care after her ordeal.  A preliminary police investigation is underway. The General Attorney’s office has appealed the description of the case as a “kidnapping”  since there were so many other human rights violations: rape, forced marriage, imprisonment, repeated violent attacks. WAW has provided Fatima with a defense lawyer who is making sure that the prosecutor has all evidence for her case. 

Fatima and her parents are determined to get justice. The Mullah is still on the run.