‘The Taliban flogged my mum’: The Irish-based lawyer from Afghanistan who is fighting for women's rights worldwide

Irish-based lawyer Mahbooba Faiz tells Máiréad Sheehy how her family had to flee their home in Afghanistan, and how it inspired her to campaign against ‘gender apartheid’

Mahbooba Faiz had to flee Afghanistan with her family — twice — but now works with Cork law firm RDJ while studying at UCC for another masters degree, and working with United Against Gender Apartheid. Picture: Chani Anderson

"I am one of those unfortunate women who has twice seen the horrible faces of Taliban soldiers," says lawyer and women’s rights activist Mahbooba Faiz, who now lives in Tallow, Co Waterford.

Mahbooba was just a girl when the Taliban first took control of her native Afghanistan back in 1996.