Women’s rights activist Mahbouba Seraj is the executive director of Afghan Women Skills Development Centre, running the last remaining shelter for abused women in the war-torn country.

After spending 26 years in exile in the late 1970s, she returned to Afghanistan in 2003 to work with the women and help improve their lives. She campaigned for their participation in the Peace Jirga and High Peace Council. When the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Mahbouba refused to flee; choosing to stay in Kabul and protect her girls and staff, ignoring the pleas of the US military and embassy.

In 2021, she was featured on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list. She also addressed the UN Security Council on the plight of Afghans under Taliban rule that same year. In 2023, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.