31 Facts About Malalai Joya

Malalai Joya was born on 25 April 1978 and is an activist, writer, and a politician from Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya served as a Parliamentarian in the National Assembly of Afghanistan from 2005 until early 2007, after being dismissed for publicly denouncing the presence of warlords and war criminals in the Afghan Parliament.

Malalai Joya was an outspoken critic of the Karzai administration and its western supporters, particularly the United States.

Malalai Joya was called "the bravest woman in Afghanistan" by the BBC.

In 2021, Joya was forced under threat from the Taliban regime to leave Afghanistan and live in exile.

Malalai Joya was born on 25 April 1978, in the Farah Province, in western Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya got involved in humanitarian work while in eighth grade.

Malalai Joya returned to Afghanistan in 1998, during the Taliban's reign.

Malalai Joya is married, but has not revealed the name of her husband due to fear for his safety.

Malalai Joya gained international attention when, as an elected delegate to the Loya Jirga convened to ratify the Constitution of Afghanistan, she spoke out publicly against the domination of warlords on 17 December 2003.

Malalai Joya was brought under the protection of UN security forces.

Malalai Joya was elected to the 249-seat National Assembly, or Wolesi Jirga in September 2005, as a representative of Farah Province, winning the second highest number of votes in the province, with 7.3 percent of the vote.

Malalai Joya continued her stance against the inclusion of alleged war criminals in the Islamic Republic government of Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya appeared at the Federal Convention of Canada's New Democratic Party in Quebec City on 10 September 2006, supporting party leader Jack Layton and the NDP's criticism of the NATO-led mission in southern Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya was in Sydney, on 8 March 2007, as a guest of UNIFEM, speaking about women's rights in Afghanistan in honor of International Women's Day.

Malalai Joya returned to Canada in November 2007 and addressed 400 people at the Steelworkers Hall on Cecil Street in Toronto.

Malalai Joya then addressed a small group of union activists and activists at the Ontario Federation of Labour.

In November 2008 Malalai Joya visited the Norway Social Forum, and spoke before the 1900 participants.

Malalai Joya participated in a debate with the Norwegian Foreign Minister, and asked Norway to pull its troops out of Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya participated in two public forums for the festival at Jamia Millia Islamia and Alliance Francaise on the issues related to post-war Afghanistan, female empowerment and torture.

Malalai Joya called for withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya was scheduled to speak at several different places in the United States, including Pace University in Manhattan and St Mary's College of Maryland.

Malalai Joya started her US speaking tour on 25 March 2011 from Boston where, along with Professor Noam Chomsky, she gave a presentation on the Afghan war to 1200 people at Harvard's Memorial Church.

On 7 May 2006, Malalai Joya was physically and verbally attacked by fellow members of parliament after accusing several colleagues of being "warlords" and unfit for service in the new Afghan government.

In February 2010, at the event of the presentation in Paris of "Au nom de mon peuple", the French publication of her memoir "A Woman Among Warlords", Malalai Joya expressed her wish to make a political comeback in the Afghan parliamentary elections scheduled for September.

On 21 July 2012: Malalai Joya paid a visit to western Afghanistan where she was warmly welcomed by people.

On 21 March 2013 Malalai Joya addressed a big Nowruz festival in Khewa district of Nengrahar province in South of Afghanistan.

On 24 March 2013 Malalai Joya joined the support network in defense of Chelsea Manning.

In 2016, Malalai Joya criticized peace talks which saw Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a long-time Islamist insurgent leader, and his militants pardoned in return for them ending hostilities with the Afghan government.

Malalai Joya claimed the agreement "signals more horror and bloodshed" and said that Gulbuddin was a "devious rascal".

Malalai Joya is on a dangerous, eye-opening mission to uncover truth and expose the abuse of power in Afghanistan, and her book will work powerfully in her favor.