Anahita Ratebzad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anahita Ratebzad
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Ratebzad on 3 February 1980
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| Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council | |
| In office 27 December 1980 – 24 November 1985 |
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| President | Babrak Karmal |
| Member of the Politburo of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan | |
| In office 1979–1986 |
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| Member of the House of the People | |
| In office 1965–1969 |
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| Constituency | Second District Kabul City |
| Afghan Ambassador to Yugoslavia | |
| In office July 1978 – 1980 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 November 1931 Guldara, Afghanistan |
| Died | 7 September 2014 (aged 82) Dortmund, Germany |
| Spouse | Keramuddin Kakar |
| Children | 3 |
Anahita Ratebzad (born November 1931 – died 7 September 2014) was an important Afghan politician. She believed in ideas like socialism, which focuses on fairness and equality for everyone. She was a member of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA).
Anahita Ratebzad was one of the very first women to be elected to the Afghan parliament. She also served as a deputy head of state from 1980 to 1986.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Anahita Ratebzad was born in Guldara in Kabul Province, Afghanistan. Her father supported big changes in the country. Because of this, he had to leave Afghanistan for a while. Anahita and her brother grew up in tough conditions without their father.
When she was 15, she married Dr. Keramuddin Kakar. He was one of the few Afghan surgeons who had studied abroad. Anahita went to the Malalaï Lycée in Kabul, which was a French-speaking school.
She then studied nursing at the State University of Michigan in the United States from 1950 to 1954. Later, when Kabul University's Medical School started letting women join, she was among the first group. She graduated as a doctor in 1962.
Anahita's strong political beliefs caused problems with her husband. He did not agree with her political activities. In 1973, she moved out of their home. They never officially divorced but lived apart. They had three children: one daughter and two sons. Only her daughter became involved in politics like her.
Political Career
Anahita Ratebzad was one of the first women in Afghanistan to speak out publicly about social and political issues. This was in the late 1950s and 1960s. In 1957, she was part of the first group of Afghan women to represent their country internationally. They attended the Asian Women's Conference in Ceylon.
Around 1957, women in urban Afghanistan started to uncover their faces for work. Anahita led a group of female nurses to work at Kabul's Aliabad Hospital, caring for male patients. This was a big step. However, some people in conservative parts of Afghan society did not approve of her actions.
Founding the Democratic Organisation of Afghan Women
In 1964, Ratebzad started the Democratic Organisation of Afghan Women (DOAW). This group worked to promote women's rights. It was run by intellectual women who volunteered their time. They wanted to help women on their own initiative.
In 1965, Anahita Ratebzad and other DOAW members organized a protest march in Kabul. This was the first time International Women's Day was celebrated in Afghanistan.
Entering Parliament
Anahita Ratebzad became involved in leftist politics. In 1965, she was one of the first four women elected to the Afghan parliament. She won the seat for the Second District of Kabul City.
In the same year, she helped create the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). Her strong views on women's rights and her political ideas made her a debated figure. She did not run for election in 1969 and lost her seat in parliament.
Government Roles
Before a big change in government in April 1978, Ratebzad was held under house arrest. When the Khalq wing of the PDPA took power, she was appointed as the Minister of Social Affairs. She held this position for four months.
On May 28, 1978, Ratebzad wrote an important article in the Kabul New Times newspaper. She wrote that women should have equal education, job security, health services, and time to raise healthy children. She said that educating women was very important for the country's future.
Later, she became the Afghan Ambassador to Belgrade (in Yugoslavia) from 1978 to 1980. After a new leader, Hafizullah Amin, came to power, she was removed from her ambassador role.
After the Soviet Union became involved in Afghanistan and another part of the PDPA took power, Anahita Ratebzad was appointed Minister of Education (1980–1981). She also became a permanent member of the PDPA's Politburo, which was a very important political group. In this role, she oversaw several ministries, including education, information, culture, and public health.
In 1986, the country's leader changed again. Anahita Ratebzad was removed from her government jobs and left the Politburo.
Later Life and Death
Anahita Ratebzad stayed in Afghanistan until May 1992. However, she and some of her family had to leave because of fighting in the country. In 1995, she moved to Sofia, Bulgaria. A year later, she sought political asylum and settled in Lünen, Germany.
Anahita Ratebzad passed away in Germany at the age of 82 due to kidney failure. Her body was brought back to Afghanistan and buried in Kabul.
See also
In Spanish: Anahita Ratebzad para niños
