A Celebration of Courage: Marzia and Afghan Women Take Center Stage at Parliament, London

On June 17, 2026, during International Refugee Week, Judge Marzia Babakarkhail took her story to the heart of the UK Parliament.

Hosted by MP Debbie Abrahams in the Grimond Room, the special parliamentary event, “Marzia’s Journey: A Showcase,” brought together Parliamentarians, advocates, colleagues and supporters to celebrate Marzia’s remarkable life, achievements, and continuing work on behalf of Afghan women and girls, especially the women of the justice system.

Importantly, the event was not simply a celebration of a new book. It was a celebration of a journey — one shaped by courage, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to justice in the face of extraordinary danger.

That made Refugee Week a particularly fitting moment for the gathering. This year’s theme, Courage, recognized the extraordinary bravery of refugees as they rebuild their lives, overcome adversity, and contribute to their communities. It also marked the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the landmark international agreement that established the legal right to seek protection from persecution.

Marzia’s life embodies that spirit.

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As a judge in Afghanistan, Marzia was limited by the rule of law, so she fought for women's rights and established a shelter for divorced women. Her efforts resulted in two Taliban assassination attempts on her life during their early reign. Marzia fled to the U.K. and eventually earned citizenship. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the women who had served as judges suddenly found themselves among those most at risk. Their identities became dangerous, their homes were no longer safe, and the justice system they had served was dismantled. Naturally, they leaned on Marzia because she survived her journey to safety despite uncertainty, secrecy, and danger. Yet, leaving Afghanistan did not mean Marzia left her work behind.

Today, from the UK, Marzia continues to advocate for the women judges who remain at risk. Her work is a reminder that courage does not end when someone reaches safety. For many refugees, rebuilding a life also means finding new ways to continue the work, values, and commitments that forced them to flee in the first place. The parliamentary showcase provided an opportunity to reflect on that journey and on what it means to stand up for justice when doing so comes at an extraordinary personal cost.

It also marked the publication of Marzia: A Judge’s Fight for Afghan Women’s Rights, co-authored by Marzia Babakarkhail and Pamela Say. The book offers a first-hand account of Marzia’s experience asa a judge, being targeted by the Taliban, and then her work campaigning for the judges following the Taliban’s return to power. But at Parliament, the focus was broader than the book itself.

It was an opportunity to recognize Marzia’s achievements, to honor the courage of the Afghan women judges whose lives were transformed by the Taliban’s return, and to cons

ider the importance of continuing to speak up for those whose voices are being suppressed.

For Refugee Week, there could hardly be a more fitting message. Courage is not simply the absence of fear. Sometimes, courage is continuing to fight for justice when fear is everywhere.

Marzia’s journey is a testament to that kind of courage — and to the extraordinary strength of women who refuse to give up on justice, even when the circumstances around them demand it.