Afghan Biographies

Parlika, Suraya Mrs. Parleka died


Name Parlika, Suraya Mrs. Parleka died
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1944
Function/Grade All Afghan Women's Union (AAWU) Head
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions:
Teaching post in the Foreign Relations Department at Kabul University,
Founder of the Democratic Women Organization DWO (Sazoman democratic Zana), which she presided in 1978,
President and secretary general of the Red Crescent Society of Afghanistan (1986),
Member of the AFGHAN CONSTITUTIONAL LOYA JIRGA (Committee No.9) (2003),
Head of the All Afghan Women's Union (AAWU)

3. Biodata:
Suraya_Parlika_AfghanistanSuraya Parlika, daughter of Muhammad Hanif, was born in Kamari Village of Bagrami District, Kabul, in 1944 to an educated family. She completed her secondary education in 1962 at Zarghona High School. In 1966 she obtained a BSc from the Faculty of Economics, Kabul University. In 1973, she went to Kiev, the Republic of Ukraine, to pursue her postgraduate studies, and in 1977 she obtained her Masters Degree in Economics and Bilateral Relationship.

She returned to Afghanistan and secured a teaching post in the Foreign Relations Department at Kabul University. In 1965 along with other five women, she was inspired to found the Democratic Women Organization DWO (Sazoman democratic Zana), which she presided in 1978. She has been involved in the 12th and 13th parliamentary elections in order to ensure that women are represented in the parliament.

She has also encouraged women to resist a proposal of some MPs for banning women’s education abroad. As a result of her activities, the proposal was aborted. In August 1978, Suraya Parlika was imprisoned and tortured, and was finally transferred to the notorious Pul-e Charkhi prison. After 18 months in prison, she was released and reappointed as president of DWO. During her time in office as president of DWO, in collaboration with International Confederation of Women, she organized an international conference on women in Afghanistan, aiming to raise the international community’s awareness of the degraded condition of the Afghan women.

In 1986, she was appointed as president and secretary general of the Red Crescent Society of Afghanistan, and she assisted in the establishment of the International Federation of Red Cross’s office in Kabul. She was also elected as a delegate to the Constitutional Loya Jirga. In 1992, after the mujahedin (Islamic militants) took over power in Kabul, she was fired from her post. However, she covertly continued her social work and offered home schooling for women and young girls in her house.

Immediately after the collapse of Taliban’s regime, she, along with a group of women teachers, worked hard to make up for the education period that young girls have missed during Taliban era. She has successfully lobbied for their admission into the local schools. She has mobilized women to make public demonstrations in order to draw the world’s attention to the distressful situation of women in Afghanistan.

Suraya Parlika is an afghan Muslim Women reformer in line with Sima Samar, Nilofar Sakhi and Shuhada. She is the head of the All Afghan Women's Union (AAWU) also called Women's Association of Afghanistan. Her network and AAWU (All Afghan Women union), which she is currently presiding, have been actively engaged in the presidential election to bring Afghan women out to vote. In 2003, she pushed for the incorporation of an article in the Afghan Constitution that ensures gender equality in all rights. (1000 peace women). Mrs. Soraya Parlika is a member of the National United Party of Afghanistan. She has a family history intimately linked with that of the Afghan Communist Party, in which she was a senior member in the 80th.

Suraya Parlika, one of the first Afghan women’s rights defenders died of cancer disease in Switzerland.(20191221)

Soraya Parlika speaks Dari and Russian.

Last Modified 2019-12-21
Established 2009-10-18