Afghan Women’s Sports Archive

A cultural and historical project to create a living cultural archive Afghan women’s sporting history.

less than 1% of global recorded history is about women.

Under the first Taliban regime, photographs, books, and records were systematically destroyed, erasing documented history and especially women’s stories. Today we see the same systemic erasure occurring of Afghan women. This archive is an act of resistance against the Taliban.

Throughout history, Afghan women have defied cultural norms and gender barriers. This archive celebrates and preserves the stories of the women who made their mark in sports and culture.

This archive preserves their legacy through multimedia storytelling and oral histories in 20 women’s sports.

These stories offer more than inspiration. They protect a fuller, truer account of Afghan women’s lives dating back to the 1920s. They show future generations the truth of what Afghan women have accomplished.

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The Sports

Cycling
Skateboarding
Skiing and Snowboarding
Mountaineering
Football
Para-Athletics
Judo
Cricket
Basketball
Running
Taekwondo
Swimming
Boxing
Handball

Coming soon
Tennis

Coming Soon
Rugby

Coming Soon
BMX

Coming Soon
Breakdancing

Coming Soon

Learn More

Imagine an archive where every woman’s story is collected, bound, and presented aS an individual book.

The archive records oral histories from the cyclists and witness statements from the those who supported them or documented their journey. We are building a physical archive of the extensive film, photography, media, and audio interviews and working to track down as many artifacts as possible to preserve for future generations. Much has been lost in the return of the Taliban, but that is part of the research and recovery process.

Our in house publishing team, Omid Publishing, will produce the oral histories as individual books. Human made, with no AI. If every life is its own universe, then the least that we can do as an archive is recognize the individuality of each woman beyond the sport. The archive will be a living, breathing physical space as unique as the women themselves. It will be a place to hold history for future generations and as a welcome space for continued research and storytelling in the present.