Qazi Marzia Babakarkhail

Marzia Babakarkhail served as a female judge in Puli Khumri, Afghanistan in the 1990s. She witnessed extreme oppression and injustice, compelling her to campaign to empower women and protect them from abuse and honor killings. Her first NGO the Afghan Women Social and Cultural Organization, established in 1994, sheltered divorced women and their children. Later, as a refugee in Pakistan, she and her fellow friends established a school for Afghan refugee children and a foundation to support them. Marzia has served as a member of the Board and Chairperson of the Women’s Committee of the Afghan NGO's Coordination Bureau (ANCB). In 2009 she received refugee status from the U.K. and in 2016 became a British citizen. Marzia speaks five languages. She attended Oldham College where she learned to speak English. In 2015, she won an award from Oldham College for making a significant contribution to college and community life. In 2017 she won the Fusion Woman of the Year Award, and was nominated for a pride award in Oldham. She was shortlisted for a Northern Powerhouse Women's Award as an outstanding mentor, and for a True Honour Award in March 2023. Marzia’s continuous work for underprivileged people, particularly those in the refugee community, has led her to become a speaker, trainer, and leader in many community projects in the U.K. More importantly, Oldham Member of Parliament Debbie Abrahams employs Marzia as a caseworker. Marzia became the voice of around 270 Afghan women judges since August 19, 2021, and the main campaigner to raise awareness about their plight. Marzia has built a powerful network of individuals, NGOs, and government entities around the world to change legislation and to help these women obtain visas and a safe escape route. She is a consistent voice in the media, appearing on BBC and multiple other international and regional news outlets as a worldwide spokesperson for Afghani women. Two thirds of the way through 2023, about forty-nine female judges were left in Kabul and nineteen in Pakistan. The nineteen judges in Pakistan have cases in progress, many of whom are bound for America, Australia, or other countries around the world. The forty-nine are not forgotten.