Full episode
531: Got Your Back
Act Three

One Woman Show

There's this woman Hamida Gulistani who advocates for women's rights in Afghanistan. For a few years when the US presence in the country was at its greatest, she felt like someone had her back … she felt safer … she saw some progress. But now with the US pulling out, her situation's changing. It's gotten way more dangerous already, and she's shifted from someone having her back, to having to watch her back.

For 2 1/2 years, Kevin Sieff has been the bureau chief for the Washington Post in Afghanistan. He tells this story about the change that Hamida is facing. Trigger warning: this story includes descriptions of violence against women. (24 minutes)