HALF THE SKY

"Every day is a death threat."  She laughs.  "I'm always changing cars, changing bodyguards."  It pains her, a pious Muslim, that some fundamentalists want to kill her in the name of Islam.  She leans forward and becomes even more animated.  "From my heart, I tell you: If they were educated, they would not behave like that.  The Koran has quotation after quotation that says you must treat women well.  Those people who do bad things, they are not educated.  I am a Muslim.  My father was a good Muslim, and he prayed every day, but he did not try to marry me off.  There were many offers for me when I was in the sixth grade, and he said no.  That is why these people are afraid of educating women - they are afraid that then the women will ask questions, will speak up...That's why I believe in education."

 ~ Sakena Yacoobi (Founder, Afghan Institute of Learning)

Please see this TED video about another courageous person.

Note: The title of this post is based upon a Chinese proverb - "Women hold up half the sky."