Sharing Humanity: Wahida’s Story

To mark World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, team members from the World Food Programme share their stories about working in their own countries to help end hunger. The third in the series, this is Wahida’s story from Afghanistan.

My name is Wahida. I was born and raised in Mazar-i-Sharif, in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province — a region where girls and women often face cultural, traditional and social barriers. Fortunately, I grew up in an open-minded family that, before and after marriage, allowed me to fulfil my dreams to finish my education and work outside the home.

My main job on an average day is producing maps and updating food security and market data. I have travelled across Afghanistan many times, and my knowledge of the country really helps my work. Our greatest challenges on the job are the general lack of security, instability and, as Afghan women, social and traditional challenges and taboos.

The toughest moments of my humanitarian job were lived during the Taliban regime. Especially as women, we faced severe restrictions, threats, hardships and dangers. But I did not give up and bravely continued my career. Since, as women, we were not allowed to work in offices, we had to carry on our jobs outside the office as mobile staff.

Unfortunately, women are generally considered second-class citizens in our society, and the structure of our society imposes certain limitations and restrictions on women. But I have pride in my work — and it is our right, men or women, to do something productive for our country.

The World Food Programme, of course, maintains equal employment opportunities for all genders — and gives us the opportunity to build trust in the greater society that women are an essential part of our society and are capable of working ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ with our brothers.

As an Afghan citizen, I hope that one day peace, stability, economic growth, equality, justice and human rights will flourish across our beloved country — and that the Afghan government will be able to provide the basic services required by our people throughout the country. #ShareHumanity