Shukria Asil (Arabic: شكرية أصيل) is an

Afghan Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia *Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity ** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pa ...

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countr ...

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fr ...

. In 2009, she succeeded in reversing the firing of three women teachers in

Baghlan Baghlan (Dari: بغلان ''Baġlān'') is a city in northern Afghanistan, in the eponymous province, Baghlan Province. It is located three miles east of the Kunduz River, 35 miles south of Khanabad, and about 500 metres above sea level in the ...

, who had been fired due to negative information being published about them by the

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

. As of 2010 she serves as one of four female members of the Baghlan Provincial Council, and as of 2012 she is the head of the Baghlan Provincial Culture and Information Department. Asil also intervened in the case of a girl rejected by her family for being gang-raped, successfully reuniting the family, although the provincial governor had discouraged her from doing so. Her other work for women's rights includes creating networking groups for women, leading the fight for women's

driving schools Driver's education, driver education, driving education, driver's ed, driving tuition or driving lessons is a formal class or program that prepares a new driver to obtain a learner's permit or driver's license. The formal class program may also ...

, and expanding educational opportunities for young girls. She has faced threats of kidnapping and death for her work, and had to change her address at least once. She received a 2010

International Women of Courage Award The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Asil, Shukria Living people Afghan activists Afghan women activists Afghan women's rights activists Year of birth missing (living people) Recipients of the International Women of Courage Award