✍️ By: Hamia Naderi
Maria Bashir is the first woman in Afghanistan’s history to serve as Chief Prosecutor of Appeals. A graduate of law and political science from Kabul University, she has dedicated nearly half her life to the fields of law and prosecution.
Over her career, she held various positions in the Attorney General’s Office — including Investigator for Women’s Affairs, Head of Traffic Crimes Prosecution, and Appeals Prosecutor for Public Security — before being appointed in 2006 as Chief Prosecutor of Appeals in Herat, a role she held successfully for nine years.
Afterward, she led an active women’s rights organization called Unity of Afghan Women, where she continued advocating for justice and equality.
Maria Bashir’s courage and impact have been recognized internationally. In 2011, she was named one of the World’s Most Courageous Women by the U.S. State Department and included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people worldwide. In 2015, she became the first Afghan woman to win the prestigious Islamic World Economic Elite Award from the OIC and OIC Today. The University of Sassari in Italy also awarded her an honorary degree for her efforts in defending women’s rights.
Today, Maria Bashir is running as a parliamentary candidate from Herat, determined to use her experience and influence to advocate for the rights of women and the people of Herat in Afghanistan’s legislature.
