First Lady Leads Aid Distributions

Afghanistan’s First Lady, Rula Ghani, supports families in Afghanistan, who live in remote areas inaccessible for international aid agencies due to geography, climate or infrastructure. Her recent efforts have been financially supported by the government of Saudi Arabia. According to Ghani, the aid distribution constituted an important example of the government’s ability to serve its people beyond the realm of politics.

Click here to read a recent article on the issue in the Los Angeles Times.

Unlike her predecessors, Rula Ghani aims at enhancing her public image and gaining a stronger role in Afghanistan. She uses her position to fight for women’s empowerment: “My aim is not to revolutionise the situation but to improve the situation for women within the existing structures [...] I am here to help women establish their own importance within the family.“ Due to her Lebanese, Christinian-Maronite identity, some critical voices accuse the First Lady of being out of touch with Afghanistan’s predominantly Muslim community. However, she shrugs off her critics and continues to engage with the humanitarian situation in the country.