Join us for our BeComing Lunch Series with Joaquin Rivera. BeComing is a space for discussion about personal experiences, successes, challenges, and growth – inside and outside of academic settings. Enjoy a catered lunch, free and open to all!Zarifa Ghafari is a prominent Afghan politician, activist, and media entrepreneur, widely recognize for her unwavering commitment to women’s rights and empowerment in Afghanistan. As one of the country’s first female mayors, she spearheaded initiatives that challenged entrenched societal norms while improving urban services. She is also the founder of Peghla Radio, a platform dedicated to amplifying women’s voices, and the nonprofit Assistance and Promotion for Afghan Women (APAW), which advances women’s social, economic, and political participation.

Ghafari’s leadership has earned her numerous international honours, including the U.S. Department of State’s International Women of Courage Award (2020), BBC 100 Influential Women (2019), North-South Prize of the Council of Europe - 2020, and Asia’s Outstanding Women Leadership Award (2019). She has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (2023–2024) by Swiss parliamentarians and is featured in the Netflix documentary In Her Hands. Her memoir, Zarifa: A Woman’s Battle in a Man’s World, has been published in eight languages around the world, offering readers a powerful account of three generations of women’s lives in Afghanistan.

Currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Cornell University (Class of 2026), with a major on Government, Politics, and Policy Studies and minor of Peace Studies, Ghafari also holds a prior Master’s degree from Punjab University, India. Through her activism and leadership, she continues to inspire change and garner international recognition as a leading voice for gender equality.”

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