Fawzia Koofi has survived assassination attempts, navigated Afghanistan’s turbulent political landscape, and negotiated directly with the Taliban. As a three-time elected member of Afghanistan’s parliament and now an International Relations & Geopolitics speaker, she has been one of the country’s most visible advocates for women’s rights and democratic governance.

Now in exile, as the Taliban systematically erases women from public life, Koofi continues to fight for an inclusive political future in Afghanistan—one she believes will eventually emerge when the current regime collapses under the weight of its own exclusionary policies.

In this interview, conducted by The Motivational Speakers Agency and published exclusively by JURIST, Koofi discusses the political strategies that kept her accountable to constituents, the barriers still facing women in governance globally, and why she believes the Taliban cannot sustain power through oppression.

As an elected representative during a time of political upheaval, how did you uphold transparency and integrity while navigating Afghanistan’s complex political system?

Provided to JURIST

Fawzia Koofi: In Afghanistan—the first thing was honesty. I think as a politician you really, really need to be very honest and genuine with your people, and that was the reason I got elected three times.

Each time, although there was a quota in Afghanistan’s Constitution for women to be elected—there was a 25% allocation for women’s seats in parliament—each time I was elected based on general competition and on a vast majority of votes.

The reason is, I think, I was able to communicate with the people. So, communication is the first thing. You need to be able to communicate with people, but not only communicate—communicate what you can do and what you cannot do. Be genuine and be honest with the people.

I think we are human beings at the end of the day. We all have a heart and a brain that can process and analyze information. Sometimes, as politicians, we try to demonstrate that we are very resourceful, that we can do things, that we have magical powers—and at the end of the day, if we are not able to deliver, people get disappointed.

I know it’s very hard sometimes to be too realistic with people because it’s not easy to get votes, but what I was trying to say is: try to be connected to the people and speak their language. Speak about the problems they have in their own way. Walk with them—include them in decision-making.

Once people are included in the decision-making, they understand the problems you face, and they will understand you. Those were my mitigation strategies: I was very transparent, I was very honest about what I could and couldn’t do, and I was very persistent in following my mission.

I wouldn’t give up, and this was especially true in terms of navigating conflict and resolving it. I was so persistent in my messages and in what I wanted to do that the other side—whether it was political opposition or even my negotiations with one of the world’s most notorious groups, the Taliban—would understand my stance. I was very persistent in my messages and what I wanted. So, persistence, honesty, and inclusion of people in all steps of your decisions were key.

What legal or structural barriers continue to hinder women’s representation in governance, and what advice would you give to young women seeking to challenge those systems of inequality?

Koofi: I see that there is a sense of satisfaction among younger women. I see that as long as they have a computer and a paid job, they think this is the best they hope they could for.

My message would be that the generation before us really struggled to pave the way for us. We need to keep that torch alive. We need to keep that flag high and move forward. Having a job and self-interest is important, but we also need to look around and see how we can change our surroundings for a better world.

My message is that we all have certain capacities that we need to use to change the world and make it a better place. As women, we need to work double and triple as hard to prove our abilities—but we should not lose hope.

Once a woman finds her space and her seat, nobody can take that seat and opportunity away. So, fight for that space, fight for that seat, and once you are there, nobody’s going to take it away from you.

Given your work with global institutions, how do you approach cross-cultural misunderstandings and legal differences when advocating for Afghan women on the international stage?

Koofi: I have come to realise that we are actually living in a world where there is a war of perceptions. A war of perception means that people in the Global South have certain perspectives and views towards people—especially women—in the Global North or Western world.

Some people in the Eastern world may think that women in the Global North are more progressive and not sticking to their values. Likewise, when I tell people I am from Afghanistan, I sometimes get surprising questions such as, “Oh, so women in Afghanistan are educated?” This shows that there is so much misunderstanding and so many wrong perceptions about each other.

Some people in the Global North may think women in the Global South—in Eastern or Muslim countries—don’t try hard, are not educated, or are not progressive. I think both of these views are wrong. There is a middle ground, and we have to navigate that middle ground—and that is how I work in environments with cultural differences.

I always go for common ground. I always engage with countries, diplomats, and even those with very different views and approaches, because that is how you resolve issues and problems: engage, express your message, and find common ground.

We need to get out of this war of perceptions. These misperceptions are not only affecting relationships between the Global South and Global North, but also our workplaces and communities. We have certain perceptions towards people with or without scarves, or people of certain colors or races, and that creates tension—even in our work environments—lowering productivity.

That’s why navigating towards the “third room” —finding common ground and talking to each other—is very important. I am always in search of that common ground in my engagement with member states, diplomats, foreign countries, and decision-makers.

With Afghanistan under Taliban rule, how do you envision a lawful and inclusive political framework emerging in the future—and what role do you see for yourself in that reconstruction process?

Koofi: Under the Taliban, I see that Afghanistan does not really have a future. How can a power exclude its population—especially women, who make up 55% of society—suppress people, and then claim they can sustain?

No power can sustain through exclusion. Politics of exclusion does not serve anyone. Governments that impose politics of exclusion and suppression might survive in the short term, but in the long term, governments will come and go; the people will stay.

So, I think the Taliban will not sustain. We need to look beyond and see how a post-Taliban government in Afghanistan will look. We are preparing for that. That’s why it’s important to put women in leadership and to create a narrative owned by the people of Afghanistan.

I know geopolitics in Afghanistan and the region—in Asia and South Asia—is evolving rapidly. There are new powers emerging. The attitudes of countries in the region differ from those of the Global North in how they engage with the Taliban.

We are also working with regional countries—even those considered difficult—to influence them and demonstrate the value of women in their own societies. Women contribute to economies, politics, and freedom—to everything a society needs for progress. It should be the same in Afghanistan.

So, I see my future in Afghanistan. We need to lead our own narrative—one that is genuine, based on the interests and will of the people of Afghanistan.