KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Two Afghanistan-born women have launched bids for seats in the U.S. Congress and Sweden’s parliament, highlighting the growing political participation of Afghan women in the diaspora, while women under Taliban rule in Afghanistan remain largely excluded from public life.
Alaha Ahrar announced on Thursday that she is running as an independent candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia’s 7th congressional district, while Nasiba Daytabar is seeking a seat in Sweden’s parliament as a candidate of the Green Party in Stockholm.
Ahrar was born in Kabul, left Afghanistan with her family as a child, lived in Pakistan, and moved to the United States in 2008 for higher education. She later became a U.S. citizen.
She said her campaign will focus on justice, economic opportunities, education reform, and stronger social cohesion. U.S. midterm elections for all 435 House seats and about one-third of the Senate are scheduled for November 2026.
A poet, writer, and human rights advocate, Ahrar gained international attention in 2012 when she was recognized at an international peace poetry festival in Canada for her poem “Instead of Hate, May Love Rain Down.”
Meanwhile, Daytabar, a migrant rights activist and human rights defender, has been active in Sweden’s political and social sectors for more than a decade. She won a seat on the city council of Järfälla in 2022 and is now seeking to enter the national parliament.
Born in Daykundi Province in central Afghanistan, she completed part of her higher education in Iran before migrating to Europe and obtaining Swedish citizenship. Sweden’s parliamentary election is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2026.
Their candidacies come as women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan face some of the world’s strictest restrictions. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have barred girls from education beyond sixth grade, banned women from universities and many forms of employment, and imposed tight controls on movement, travel, and access to public spaces.
Afghanistan-born women in the diaspora have meanwhile gained increasing visibility in politics and public service. Last month, Samira Nawa was appointed Denmark’s minister for climate, energy, and utilities. Many have secured seats in municipal councils, national parliaments, and senior public positions across Europe, North America, and Australia, underscoring their growing role in shaping policy in their adopted countries.
