History

Biography

Poetry

Herati Women Poets

Afaq Jalariz

Amjad Rezay

Bedeli

Dilshad Khatoon

Fatima Akhtar

Fatima Sajjadi

Hamida M. Husseini

Hanifa Faryor Rostay

Hayati

Hazuqa Herati

Maah

Mahjub Herati

Majuba Herawi

Maryam Kanizak

Maryam Turkmeni

Mehrunesa

Huma M. Azar

Senawbar Hajeza

Zahra Mahmudi

Zahra Rasuli

Ziagul Sultani

Biographies of Herati woman poets

Herat’s elevated cultural status is part of a wider Afghan tradition. Despite their under-representation – for a variety of reasons, from illiteracy to societal expectations and gender roles – it is possible to trace a line of Afghan women poets back to the 7th century (at least as far as we have written records to show this). Even though women make up half the population of the country, women have never been free to act or to speak what they want. Undoubtedly, therefore, there are many talented writers whose works will never reach the public domain, works remaining within the family or just lost to the passing of time. As almost any educated woman will tell you in Afghanistan nowadays, the artistic and cultural achievements of Afghan women – from Rabi’e Balkhi, Mustahi Khujandi, Qaratul Ahin to even Forough Farukhzad – have been suppressed and insufficiently examined.

Please refer to the side-bar to navigate through a selection of small biographies of famous Herati women poets.

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