SOCIETY 372 /2017

WOMEN AMBASSADORS
INTERVIEW AFGHANISTAN
„Afghanistan has made
great progress since 2001“
SOCIETY met with H.E. Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel,
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
and spoke with her about her previous career and the
situation of women in Afghanistan.
Gerti Tauchhammer
meeting with H.E.
Khojesta Fana
Ebrahimkhel at Villa Flora
Before you came to Vienna,
you served as Counsellor
at the Afghan Embassy in
Washington, D.C., where
you also acted as Chargé
d’Affaires a.i., as well as
Director-General of the Office of Human
Rights and Women’s International
Affairs. Did you get experiences in this
time, which influence your current diplomatic
activity?
I have always sought to emphasize the
primacy of human rights and I can say
that my family and my social relationships
are based on the conviction that
we all are one interconnected humanity,
manifested also in the beautiful diversity
we witness across our societies. When I
was away from Afghanistan, I have progressed
personally and gained valuable
knowledge on the advancement of societies.
I am familiar with the administrative
culture of striving and working and I
am prepared to tackle my tasks each and
every day with determination and hope. I
seek to disregard narrow-mindedness and
silo-thinking, but to learn from the big
thinkers and the bridge builders between
the different thoughts and desires as well
as the rights of Afghans and the ideas of
international communities. I have always
wanted to be part of the proud body of Afghans
who walk forward without fear to
advance Afghan society and human society
at large. I served with pride and sincerity
for more than thirteen years as Deputy
Fotos: Society/pobaschnig
60 | SOCIETY 2_2017