Why Women’s Lives Must Never Be Negotiated by Others | Hana Assafiri OAM

Hana Assafiri OAM is not here to inspire you. More importantly, she is here to confront what society still refuses to face.In this powerful rerun of the Power Of Women Podcast, Hana speaks with unflinching honesty about freedom, violence, and the systems that continue to fail women. From growing up between Lebanon and Australia, to being forced into an arranged marriage at just 15, Hana shares how survival alone was never the goal. Dignity, agency, and purpose were.She reflects on the quiet acts of kindness that altered the trajectory of her life, the courage it took to leave violence, and the systemic gaps that pushed her to create something radically different: the Moroccan Soup Bar. Not a charity. A self-sustaining model of safety, employment, and community for women rebuilding their lives.This conversation challenges comfortable narratives around empowerment and asks harder questions: What does freedom actually mean? Why are women still required to negotiate for it? And why silence remains one of the most dangerous accomplices of all.We explore:Why freedom must mean more than survivalArranged marriage, violence, and institutional failureThe life-changing power of kindness from strangersWhy women don’t need charity… they need pathwaysHow the Moroccan Soup Bar became a blueprint for changeWhy solutions must be driven by women and supported by men. New podcast episodes drop every Monday to power your week. Be the first to catch inspiring interviews, empowering stories, and thought-provoking conversations. 🎧 Watch and subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts.✔ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeuAx74qUBrHxaQPEnxRpTw?sub_confirmation=1✔ Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4hUXLl9Oc8xSSmR652wP3c?si=554c1a25f0e848a8✔ Follow on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/power-of-women-podcast/id1735659590✔ Follow on the website: https://powerofwomen.com.au/podcast/  Who is Hana Assafiri OAMHana Assafiri OAM is a renowned entrepreneur, activist, and author. Best known as the founder of Melbourne’s iconic Moroccan Soup Bar, Hana has spent over 25 years creating spaces that blend food, culture, and community justice. Hana is a leading voice on gender equity, intersectionality, and social change. Find Hana at:LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hana-assafiri-oam-293560173/Moroccan Soup Bar https://www.moroccansoupbar.com.au/ Connect with Di & engage with Power Of Women: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/di-gillett-power-of-women/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/power_of_women_podcast/ Contact https://powerofwomen.com.au/contact/ 💫 If this conversation lit a spark please share the episode and help spread the stories that prove women are never to be underestimated.Your ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify keeps these stories alive. Credits:Audio Editing + Sound Design: Daryl Missen – https://vinilo.com.au/Filming: Chocolate Studios: https://chocolatestudios.com.auExecutive Producer: George Donikian: https://www.donikianmedia.com.au/ Disclaimer:  https://powerofwomen.com.au/podcast-disclaimer/💫Subscribe to the Power Of Women Podcast and leave a review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🤝 Interested in collaborating or a sponsorship partnership with Power Of Women Podcast. I’d love to hear from you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.