Hazara women write their fate

Filmed over five years, Writing Hawa is the story of three generations of Hazara women from the same family in Afghanistan. With unique access and empathy, director Najiba Noori films her mother, Hawa, and her niece, Zahra, in their aspirations to emancipate themselves from patriarchal traditions.

Forced into marriage as a child, Hawa is 52 years old when she can truly start learning to read and write. With the support of her daughter, she opens a small textile business — searching for traditional Hazara embroideries in the Bamiyan region and turning them into modern dresses to sell in Kabul.

Hawa eventually saves her granddaughter Zahra from her abusive father in a remote village and brings her to the capital. There, they study together and make plans for the future. However, the takeover by the Taliban in August 2021 turns the lives of the three women upside down. 

Hawa’s story of resilience and the pursuit of education becomes a powerful testament to the strength of women fighting for their future.