Maria Bashir facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maria Bashir
At Attorney General's Office, Herat
Born	1970
Nationality	Afghan
Education	Law
Alma mater	Kabul University
Occupation	Chief Prosecutor General, Herat Province
Years active	4
Employer	Attorney General's Office, Afghanistan
Known for	First woman prosecutor in Afghanistan
Children	Sajad (son) Yasaman (daughter)
Awards	International Women of Courage Award, 2011

Maria Bashir is a brave Afghan woman who became the first female prosecutor in her country. A prosecutor is like a lawyer who works for the government. Their job is to bring people who break the law to court.

Maria Bashir has worked for the Afghan government for over 15 years. She has faced many challenges, including threats to her safety. During the time the Taliban ruled, she was not allowed to work. Instead, she secretly taught girls at her home, which was against the rules then.

After the Taliban's rule ended, Maria Bashir returned to her job. In 2006, she became the Chief Prosecutor General of Herat Province. She focused on fighting against unfair practices and helping women who were treated badly. In 2010 alone, she handled about 87 cases.

Because of her amazing work, the United States Department of State gave her the International Women of Courage Award in 2011. This award honors women worldwide who show great leadership and courage, especially in promoting women's rights. Maria Bashir was also named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2011.

Maria's Early Life and Education

Maria Bashir was the oldest child in her family. She was a very smart student from a young age. Her father encouraged her to continue her studies, which was not common for girls in Afghanistan at that time.

When she applied for university, she had to choose three subjects. Maria was so determined to study law that she wrote "Law" for all three choices! The Minister for Higher Education was impressed by her strong will. He approved her to study law.

She graduated from Kabul University in 1994 after a four-year law course. After that, she trained for a year in Kabul to become a prosecutor.

Maria's Family Life

In 1996, after finishing her studies, Maria Bashir married a businessman. She moved to his city, Herat. Maria has two sons and one daughter. Her oldest son studies in Germany. Her other two children, Sajad and Yasaman, learn at home. This is because of safety concerns for her family.

Working Under the Taliban

Maria Bashir started her career as a criminal investigator in the Attorney General's office. She worked first in Kabul and then in Herat. In 1995, the Taliban took control of Herat. They stopped women from working. Maria had to stay at home, like many other women.

She could not work until 2001, when the American invasion allowed women to return to their jobs. The Taliban also made it illegal for girls to go to school. Maria believed the Taliban's rule would not last forever. She wanted women to be ready to work when it ended. So, she secretly taught girls at her home. Her students would hide books in their shopping bags. The Taliban knew about her secret school. They even questioned her husband twice about her activities.

Returning to the Prosecutor's Office

In September 2006, the Attorney General visited Herat. He met with prosecutors from four provinces. Maria Bashir was the only woman there. At the end of his speech, she bravely asked him about his plans to improve the prosecutor's office, especially about allowing more women to work.

The Attorney General was happy with her question. He was also pleased with her work as an assistant prosecutor. She had helped investigate the death of the Afghan poet and journalist Nadia Anjuman. Maria had brought murder charges against Nadia's husband in that case. Before leaving Herat, the Attorney General appointed Maria Bashir as the Chief Prosecutor General of the province.

Facing Dangers

Maria Bashir's new job was not easy. Some people did not like that a woman held such a powerful position. She also worked hard to fight corruption and help women who faced domestic abuse. This made some people angry.

She started getting phone calls telling her to quit. Some religious leaders in Herat also issued a statement saying women should not be in public without a male escort. Maria asked the government for protection, but her requests were not met.

In 2007, a bomb exploded outside her home. Luckily, her children were inside because it was raining. Seeing the dangers, the American government hired armed guards for her and gave her a special armored car. In another sad event, one of her bodyguards' sons was kidnapped and killed. The attackers thought he was Maria's son. These events made Maria decide to home-school her children to keep them safe. She worries about them not having a normal school experience because of her work.

See also

In Spanish: Maria Bashir para niños

• First women lawyers around the world