"I am the Afghan girl the Taliban wanted to chain. I am the girl they wanted to imprison, who cannot study or work in that society. So, my crime and that of other Afghan women is to fight for our freedom.”

So said Zahra Karimi during the launch of the UN Women’s social integration and economic empowerment initiative in Chile. 22-year-old Zahra fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took power in 2021 and now lives in Santiago de Chile as a refugee.

Together with 25 women, she participates in the UN Women’s Second Chance Education programme in Chile. This initiative provides comprehensive support for migrant and refugee
women. As part of the initiative, participants receive tools to help them integrate into the country’s economy and society.

Read more in the impact story.