Episode 36 | Latifa Jawadi

This week on the Joe and Sherin Podcast, we sit down with the incredible Latifa Jawadi, an Afghan lawyer and human rights advocate whose life changed overnight when the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021. Latifa shares her journey from working as a lawyer and anti-corruption investigator in the Afghan government, to fleeing the country for Ireland with nothing but the clothes on her back — leaving her young son behind in the chaos. She opens up about hiding from the Taliban, the terrifying scramble to Kabul airport, two days sleeping on the floor of a military transport plane, and finally rebuilding her life in Ireland. We talk about her brother's imprisonment by the Taliban, her sister's incredible work running an underground online school for Afghan girls, and what it means to find safety, community, and a new home in Ireland. A powerful, honest, and moving conversation you won't want to miss. 🇦🇫🇮🇪Timecodes:00:00 – Intro & episode banter02:56 – Meet Latifa Jawadi: lawyer, activist, guest04:52 – Growing up in Afghanistan & Iran05:47 – Studying law in Kabul & becoming a lawyer06:38 – Working for the Vice President's office07:39 – Fighting corruption in the Afghan government08:56 – Being a woman in a traditional society11:10 – The day the Taliban took Kabul14:18 – Escaping the office, abandoning the government car15:17 – Hiding from the Taliban for a week16:05 – Sending her young son to safety17:20 – Forced marriage & the reality for women under Taliban rule19:19 – Getting the offer of an Irish visa21:10 – The hardest decision: leaving her son behind23:20 – The explosion at Kabul airport25:26 – Two days on the floor of a US military plane27:03 – Arriving in Qatar with no shoes27:40 – Landing in Ireland, September 202128:32 – Reunited with her son Benjamin29:21 – Life as an immigrant in Iran vs. Ireland31:07 – Learning English & starting over32:07 – Volunteering with Transparency International Ireland32:42 – Her brother's arrest by the Taliban35:11 – Finding out he's alive37:14 – Her sister's secret online school for Afghan girls39:26 – Will she ever go back to Afghanistan?40:13 – Women protesting in the streets of Kabul43:22 – Understanding Taliban culture vs. Islam48:08 – Reflections on culture, borders & humanity50:07 – Wrap-up & thanks to Latifa