When the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan during the summer of 2021, Halima Mussawi's life was turned upside down. With the help of her brother, who happened to be in Afghanistan on holiday at the time, and support from the Luxembourg government, Mussawi was able to escape and arrive safely in Luxembourg in August 2021.
Nearly five years on, she lives in Esch-sur-Alzette, working at a newsstand while gradually building a new life. The transition, she says, has not been easy. "It has been a long road: suddenly, I was far away from my mother, my sisters, and my family."
The bad news from Afghanistan, especially regarding women's situation, further adds to the struggle, Mussawi says.
Before fleeing, Mussawi studied geology and mining and today remains passionate about the field, hoping to return to related work one day. "I'm working on bettering my skills, maybe in two or five years, I'll be able to work in the sector again", she says.
However, finding a job and starting afresh in Luxembourg was challenging. As she could not find a position in her field despite job hunting for a long time, Mussawi looked elsewhere, now working at a newsstand at Luxembourg-Gare.
Outside of work, Mussawi spends her time studying French and Luxembourgish.
While Mussawi now lives in safety, her homeland remains ever-present in her thoughts. She stays in touch with friends and family still living there, and the stories she hears cause her constant worry.
Recent developments in Herat cause her particular concern, where the increasingly radical Taliban has been arresting women for violating the Taliban-enforced Burqa dress code, and arbitrary arrests are leading to disappearances of young girls.
"There are no rights left for women and girls", she laments. "My friends tell me they are afraid to go outside. Some stay at home all the time."
For Mussawi, one of the hardest things is seeing Afghanistan steadily vanish from the international news agenda. She urges the world not to forget her homeland and hopes that European politicians will continue to advocate for women's rights there.
"Afghan women are humans, too. They, too, should be allowed to live, work, and study", she adds.
Most of her relatives remain in Afghanistan, though her brother and his family have also moved to Luxembourg. Even after nearly five years, she says she still carries the memories of Taliban rule and cannot imagine returning home for the time being. Yet, she dreams of returning one day and seeing her family again, she notes.
In Luxembourg, Mussawi says she has always felt welcomed and has never had the impression that she does not belong. "Even at the newsstand, clients teach me new Luxembourgish words every day."
