“There is no difference between the Taliban of the 90s and of now. They have the same ideology and perspective… but there is a big difference between women.”

“On behalf of Afghan girls, particularly Hazara girls, we have a message for the Taliban that we will never be defeated.”

By Zareen Taj in collaboration with Jay Simpson.

Looking at the faces of Hazara women, what do you see? Hazaras are an ethnic minority in Afghanistan, identifiable due to their Asian facial characteristics. Visible in Afghan society, their faces were the targets of genocidal killing by the Taliban. But their faces also reveal their resilience and transformation into leaders within their communities and civil society. This short documentary calls for attention to the genocide of the Hazara people and the oppression of Hazara women. Interviews with remarkable Hazara women, including the first female mayor of Afghanistan, provide insight into how Hazara women continue to resist the Taliban and call out for support from the global community.

This film was created after the fall of the US-backed government of Afghanistan and is the second film project between Zareen Taj and Jay Simpson, who have collaborated together since 2008 for Hazara and women's rights advocacy in Afghanistan.