>> NOW TO AFGHANISTAN, WHERE EARLIER THIS MONTH THE TALIBAN MARKED FIVE YEARS SINCE REGAINING POWER.

IN THIS TIME, THE REPRESSIVE REGIME HAS INTRODUCED MORE THAN 100 DECREES STRIPPING AWAY RIGHTS FROM WOMEN AND GIRLS, BARRING THEM FROM EDUCATION, HEALTH SERVICES, AND WORK.

OUR NEXT GUEST NOSE FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF TALIBAN RULE.

LIKE MANY OTHERS IN 2021, MUSSA RAHEEM WAS FORCED TO FLEE HER COUNTRY FOR THE UNITED STATES AT JUST A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

RAHEEM'S STORY IS FOCUSED IN AN UPCOMING BOOK, "THE LAST FREE WOMEN," A DARING ESCAPE AND COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA.

SHE JOINS HARI SREENIVASAN TO DISCUSS WHY HER JOURNEY HAS INSPICED HER TO SPEAK OUT.

>> MURSAL RAHEEM, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

YOU WROTE AN ARTICLE.

IN IT YOU DESCRIBE A SCENE WHERE YOU'RE WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE TO GET YOUR DIPLOMA FROM CORNELL, AND YOU WRITE, "BUT AS I TEETERED ACROSS THE STAGE IN HIGH HEELS, THE SAD HOPELESS FACES OF MY GIRLFRIENDS WHO NEVER MADE IT OUT OF AFGHANISTAN FLASHD IN MY MIND.

THIS IS THE WHIPLASH I LIVE WITH NOW.

HIGHS OF FREEDOM AND NEWFOUND OPPORTUNITY PUNCTURED BY LOWS OF INTENSE GUILT. "

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT WHIPLASH A LITTLE MORE FOR OUR AUDIENCE?

>> THIS FEELING IS NOT SOMETHING NEW I'M FEELING RECENTLY.

IT HAS BEEN WITH ME SINCE I LEFT AFGHANISTAN FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND IT GET MORSE WHEN I'M FEELING THE HIGHS OF MY LIFE.

FOR EXAMPLE, GRADUATION WAS THE BIGGEST MOMENT THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING AS SOMEONE WHO JUST CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AS A REFUGEE.

AND IT WAS ANY UNIVERSITY.

IT WAS AN IVY LEAGUE.

IT WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISH FOR ME.

AND WHEN I WAS FEELING VERY HAPPY, VERY PROUD, AND I WAS LOOKING AT MY PARENTS' FACE AND ALL MY FRIENDS' FACE HOW THEY ARE HAPPY AND PROUD LOOKING AT ME, I FEELED AT THE MOMENT, I FEEL GUILTY AS WELL OF LIKE WHY THE SAME GIRLS AS ME WITH SAME AMBITION AND SAME HARD WORKING ARE NOT EXPERIENCING THIS BACK IN AFGHANISTAN.

BEING AT HOME LIKE THEIR EDUCATION HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY TALIBAN.

AND THE FACES OF MY FRIENDS THAT ARE BANDED FROM SCHOOL, BANDED FRONTAL BOUNDARY EDUCATION ALWAYS STAYS WITH ME WHEN I HAVE ANY ACHIEVEMENT, WHEN I HAVE ACHIEVED THE GOALS THAT I SET UP FOR MYSELF.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU DESCRIBE IN THE PIECE THAT YOU WROTE THAT AFGHAN WOMEN WERE, QUOTE, PERHAPS THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES OF THE U. S. INTERVENTION.

KIND OF DESCRIBE FOR ME, IF YOU CAN, WHAT LIFE BEFORE THE AMERICAN INTERVENTION AND REALLY AFTER THE AMERICAN DEPARTURE WAS LIKE.

>> SO I BORN IN 1996.

IT IS RIGHT WHEN THE TALIBAN TOOK OVER AFGHANISTAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO WHEN I WAS UNTIL I WAS 5, THE TALIBAN WAS RULING THE COUNTRY.

AND WHEN THE TALIBAN RUNNING THE COUNTRY FOR THE FIVE YEARS, IT WAS THE SAME SITUATION.

WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL, NOT ALLOWED TO GET EDUCATION.

AND WHEN THE TALIBAN LEFT, I WAS VERY ELATED.

I WAS SEEING MY DAD'S FACE, HOW HAPPY HE IS TO GO AND TEACH BACK IN THE UNIVERSITY SINCE HE WAS UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND UNIVERSITY WERE BANDED FOR FIVE YEARS.

AND I SAW MY SISTER WHO IS OLDER THAN ME, SHE WAS ABLE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER FIVE YEARS OF HOUSE.

AND WHEN I SAW MY SISTER GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL.

AND IN AFGHANISTAN, YOU HAVE TO BE 7 TO GO TO SCHOOL.

SO I WAS --I WAS JUST LIKE TELLING MY PARENTS, I ALSO WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL.

I WANT TO GO TO FIRST PERIOD, EXPERIENCE THE SCHOOL.

AND THEY WERE NOT TAKING ME BECAUSE I WAS VERY LITTLE FOR SCHOOL.

BUT NO, I HAVE THIS FREEDOM.

I WANT TO USE IT.

SO I WENT TO SCHOOL AFTER FIVE YEARS OF BEING BANNED FROM EDUCATION.

SO MY CLASSROOM ON THE SCHOOL WAS A PLACE THAT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY TALIBAN.

THERE WERE NO WALL, NO CHAIR, AND NO BLACKBOARD, NOTHING.

AND IF YOU WERE LUCKY, WE COULD FIND A PIECE OF WOOD SO WE CAN SIT ON IT.

AND I HAD CLASSMATES THAT ARE WAY OLDER THAN ME BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO SCHOOL AFTER THE PAUSE OF FIVE YEAR.

EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO GET INTO SCHOOL.

EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO GET EDUCATION.

AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAD VERY LIMITED RESOURCES, I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT TO UPPER GRADES, WHEN I WAS IN 7 GRADE, MY SCHOOL GOT ATTACKED BY TALIBAN.

SO IT WASN'T THE PERFECT SITUATION THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, BUT AT LEAST THERE WAS HOPE.

BUT AT LEAST THERE WERE AMBITION OF THE WOMEN AND THE WOMEN WHO ARE SEEING THAT THEY HAD FREEDOM AND THEY HAVE TO USE IT.

>> YOU KNOW, THE END OF AUGUST NOW WHEN WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE THE TALIBAN TOOK POWER AGAIN IN 2021.

AND I WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK A BIT IF I CAN.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE DAY THAT YOU HAD TO FLEE?

>> SOMETIMES I SAY I REMEMBER THAT DAY, BUT I ALSO DON'T REMEMBER THAT DAY BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY -- EVERYTHING HAPPENED VERY SUDDEN, VERY SUDDEN.

IN A FEW HOURS.

I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT.

I COULD SEE PEOPLE ON THE STREET GOING WORK.

LIKE A NORMAL DAY.

BUT WE KNEW THAT THE TALIBAN ARE ATTACKING OTHER CITIES AND THE SITUATION IS GETTING WORSE.

BUT DEEP DOWN, WE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT THE TALIBAN MIGHT TAKE OVER KABUL BECAUSE ALL THE RESOURCES WERE IN KABUL.

THE PRESIDENT WAS THERE.

ALL THE MILITARY WAS IN KABUL.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE EVEN THIS TALK THAT THE TALIBAN MIGHT TAKE KABUL.

BEFORE THAT DAY, THE NIGHT, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, WHAT WE SHOULD DO IF THE TALIBAN TOOK OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND WE THOUGHT WE HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAPPENED IN 30 MINUTES THAT WE SEE THE CALL FROM MY BROTHER THAT WE HAVE TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.

THE TALIBAN ARE TAKING OVER THE COUNTRY -- KABUL.

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING WITH YOU, JUST A BACKPACK SO IT WILL BE EASY FOR YOU TO CARRY IT AND TAKE YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE WITH YOU.

SO I HAD TO --I DON'T KNOW HOW MY PARENTS EXACTLY FELT BECAUSE FOR THEM IT WAS 67 YEARS OF LIFE THAT THEY HAVE TO LEAVE BEHIND.

BUT FOR ME IT WAS MY SCHOOL DIPLOMA, MY FEW HEAD SCARF, AND THEN I HAD TO FIT IT IN THAT BACKPACK.

AND WE HAD TO LEAVE THE HOUSE AND GET TO AIRPORT.

WHEN WE GOT TO THE AIRPORT, WE SAW THE SITUATION WAS LIKE WAY WORSE THAN ANYONE COULD IMAGINE.

AND EVERYONE WAS RUSHING IN THE AIRPORT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS A LONG AND IT WAS A VERY TOUGH JOURNEY TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE --IT WAS UNIMAGINABLE SITUATION TO BE IN.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT IN AGES THAT I WOULD LEAVE MY COUNTRY LIKE THAT.

IN A FEW HOURS TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT MY PARENTS WOULD DO THAT.

MY PARENTS LEFT THEIR SIBLINGS, THEIR FAMILY, ALL THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.

IT WAS TOUGH MOMENT.

>> YOU DESCRIBE STANDING OUT THERE WAITING, YOU KNOW, WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FOR HOURS IN THE SUN.

AND WE SAW SOME OF THESE IMAGES, RIGHT.

PEOPLE TRYING TO GET ON THE OUTSIDE OF PLANES.

YOU GOT ON A PLANE, A MILITARY PLANE TWO DAYS AFTER THOSE SCENES THAT ARE SEARED INTO OUR MINDS.

WHAT WAS THAT FLIGHT LIKE?

>> SO ONCE YOU GET INTO THE AIRPORT, THEY WILL GIVE YOU A PAD THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHICH AIRPLANE AND WHICH COUNTRY THAT YOU ARE GOING.

SO THE MINUTE THAT I ENTERED THE PLANE, IT WAS A MILITARY PLANE WITHOUT ANY WINDOW, WITHOUT ANY SEAT.

AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WAS SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND AFTER HAVING ALL THIS SITUATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, AND WE JUST WANTED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

SO WE HAD TO SIT ON THE MILITARY PLANE FLOOR, AND WE HAD TO HOLD EACH OTHER HAND.

I REMEMBER I WAS HOLDING MY BROTHER HAND IN ORDER TO NOT FALL BACK BECAUSE THERE IS NO SEAT, NO SAFETY TO HOLD YOU WHEN THE PLANE IS GETTING HIGH.

>> THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR ALLIES EVACUATED OFFICIALLY ABOUT 124,000 PEOPLE DURING THOSE LAST FEW WEEKS OF THE WAR.

BUT THERE WERE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD WORKED WITH DIFFERENT ALLIES, DIFFERENT U. S. AGENCIES THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND.

AND I WONDER DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND?

WHAT IS THEIR LIFE LIKE NOW?

>> I DO ACTUALLY KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M WORKING NOW WITH REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS THAT LEFT AFGHANISTAN IN 2021.

AND AFTER THAT.

SO I WORK WITH THE FEW CLIENTS THAT THEY LEFT THEIR FAMILY BEHIND IN QATAR, IN UAE AND OTHER COUNTRY THAT THEY ARE WAITING TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES.

WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THEM IS THEY ARE LIVING IN UNCERTAINTY FOR FIVE YEARS.

RECENTLY, I TALKED WITH A CLIENT.

HE --SHE WAS TELLING ME SHE HAS A 5-YEAR-OLD SON, AND THE SON HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE HIS FATHER FOR FIVE YEARS.

AND SOMETIMES WHEN HE SEE HIS PICTURE AND WHEN THEY DO A VIDEO CALL OR FACETIME, HE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE HIS FATHER.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, SHE DOESN'T HAVE GREENCARD TO EVEN TO TRAVEL.

SO IT HAS -- IT CAUSED A LOT OF FAMILY SEPARATION AND PAUSE TO THEIR LIFE FOR FIVE YEAR.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT AFGHANISTAN, WHERE IT IS TODAY VERSUS THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAD, AFGHANISTAN IS NOW THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHERE GIRLS ARE STOPPED FROM HAVING AN EDUCATION PAST THE SIXTH GRADE.

WOMEN ARE PROHIBITED FROM MOST TYPES OF WORK.

THEY FACE RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN DO, WHERE THEY CAN GO IN PUBLIC LIFE.

AND THEY ARE REQUIRED, OF COURSE, TO COVER THEMSELVES AT ALL TIMES IN PUBLIC.

WHEN YOUR FRIENDS TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS RADICAL CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENED, WHAT COMES UP FOR THEM?

>> I TALK LAST NIGHT WITH A FRIEND, HOW'S YOUR LIFE GOING?

AND SOMETIMES I DON'T WANT TO EVEN SHARE WITH THEM HOW IS MY LIFE GOING AND HOW I'M EXPERIENCING.

SO MY FRIENDS SAY THE WORLD ONLY SEE THAT EDUCATION IS BANNED FROM US, AND WE ARE BEING BANNED FROM PUBLIC HEIGHTS.

BUT MOST OF THE GIRLS THAT SHE KNOWS, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT.

THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE THEMSELVES.

AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO --TO WORK TOWARDS THEIR DREAM THAT THEY HAD FOR MANY YEARS.

AND THEY --SHE TOLD ME THAT WE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THE SAME SITUATION, BUT NOW YOU'RE THERE TO USE THAT EDUCATION THAT YOU GOT IN THE PAST 20 YEAR.

BUT HERE I AM SITTING AT HOME DOING NOTHING.

AND SOMETIMES SHE FEEL LIKE GIRLS ARE TRYING TO FIGHT HARD, TRYING TO NOT LOSE HOPE, BUT WHEN THEY SEE THE WORLD, HOW THEY IGNORED THEM AND HOW NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THEM ANYMORE, IT'S LIKE WE WERE THE HEADLINE FOR THE FIRST YEAR, FOR 2021.

ANY CHANNEL, IF YOU LOOK AT, THEY WERE AFGHANISTAN.

AFGHANISTAN WAS ON THE HEADLINE OF THE NEWS.

BUT LATER ON, THE MORE SITUATION GOT WORSE, INSTEAD OF BEING MORE UNDER HEADLINE, THEY KIND OF FORGOTTEN ABOUT US, AND THEY SAY EVEN IF WE SPEAK OUT, WE FEEL THAT OUR VOICE DOESN'T MATTER, AND NOBODY HERE.

IT'S LIKE WE ARE USING OUR VOICE, BUT IF NOBODY HEARS, IT'S USELESS.

>> ARE THERE WOMEN WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO LEARN, TO ORGANIZE, TO FIGURE OUT?

I MEAN, OR IT IS JUST SO DIFFICULT THAT THEY DON'T BOTHER BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE?

>> ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT AFGHANISTAN WOMEN, THEY NEVER GIVE UP.

EVEN THOUGH THE SITUATION WILL GET VERY HARD, VERY TOUGH, THEY WILL TRY ANOTHER WAY.

THEY WILL STAND UP, THEY WILL TRY ANOTHER WAY.

I HAVE FRIENDS, THEY ARE TAKING ONLINE CLASSES.

THEY ARE LEARNING THROUGH YOUTUBE.

THEY'RE LEARNING THROUGH ANY TOOLS THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM.

I REMEMBER A FRIEND STARTED LEARNING TO ME, AND ANOTHER LEARNED PAINTING THROUGH YOUTUBE.

AND I HAVE FRIEND THAT ARE STUDYING ONLINE AND TAKING ONLINE CLASSES IN ONLINE SCHOOL THAT THEY PROVIDE THEM ONLINE EDUCATION.

SO THEY ARE USING RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THEM.

BUT NOTHING REPLACE THE EDUCATION THAT YOU GET IN THE SCHOOL.

>> YOU WORK WITH AFGHAN REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS TO THE UNITED STATES HERE.

YOU'VE BEEN GRANTED ASYLUM.

YOU'RE WAITING FOR YOUR GREENCARD.

AND I WONDER, WHAT IS IT THAT AMERICANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES FOR REFUGEES AFTER THEY ARRIVE HERE?

>> WHAT I HAVE BEEN FACING, AND I FACE ALSO AS IMMIGRANT AND AS A REFUGEE WHO LEFT AFGHANISTAN.

IN THE BEGINNING, THE COUNTRY WAS VERY WELCOME TO US.

WE WERE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARM.

WE RECEIVE MANY KINDNESS FROM MANY PEOPLE.

BUT THE MORE THE YEARS IS PASSING BY THE POLICIES ARE GETTING VERY STRICTER AGAINST US.

OUR STATUS WOULD BE ON A PAUSE FOR A FEW YEARS.

AND EVEN IF THAT PAUSE IS HAPPENING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE POLICY SUDDENLY CHANGE, AND THEY MIGHT IF THEY WERE YOUR KIDS, THEY MIGHT SEND YOU BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY.

YOU ARE PHYSICALLY SAFE IN A NEW COUNTRY THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE THAT COUNTRY FOREVER, AND WOULD BUILD A NEW LIFE FROM ZERO, BUT MENTALLY YOU KNOW THAT THE SITUATION MIGHT CHANGE ANY TIME, AND THEY MIGHT SEND YOU BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY, AND YOU MIGHT START AGAIN FROM ZERO.

SO IT'S UNCERTAINTY THAT MOST ARE LIVING WITH.

AS I SAY, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN FOR THE REST OF FAMILY, FOR THE REST OF THEIR FAMILY THAT LEFT BEHIND.

>> YOUR AGENCY IS CLOSING NOW.

HOW COME?

>> UNFORTUNATELY IT'S ONE THE OTHER THING THAT I SEE.

I REALLY WAS PASSION OF WORKING WITH REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS.

BECAUSE I CAME FROM THAT BACKGROUND, AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THEM.

BUT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DISMOTIVATING FOR ME TO SEE HOW THERE IS ZERO SUPPORT FOR US, FOR OUR AGENCY, FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO.

WHEN THEY TERMINATED US, IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY.

ALL OF THE SUDDEN FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.

AND WE WERE AT LEAST EXPECTING ONE MORE YEAR.

BUT THEN TOLD US WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY FUNDING.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM.

AND I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT ABOUT THE CLIENT THAT I HAVE, LIKE HOW THEY MIGHT NAVIGATE CHALLENGES WITHOUT HAVING THE SUPPORT OR MENTOR.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, ON ONE HAND, YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THE FREEDOM THAT THE UNITED STATES BROUGHT YOU IN AFGHANISTAN.

YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU SEE SO MANY OF YOUR PEERS THAT MIGHT HAVE WORKED WITH THE UNITED STATES, MIGHT HAVE LAW DEGREES NOW, WHO ARE STILL STUCK IN AFGHANISTAN.

AND YOU SEE A COUNTRY HERE THAT SEEMS LESS WELCOMING, TO PUT IT POLITELY, OF YOU HERE NOW.

SO HOW DO YOU KIND OF HOLD THOSE TWO FEELINGS AND IDEAS AT THE SAME TIME?

>> SOMETIMES AS A WOMAN, WHEN I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, I THOUGHT OKAY, HERE I AM.

I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITIES.

I HAVE THIS FREEDOM.

I HAVE TO USE IT.

I HAVE TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

AND --AND MY JOURNEY WILL INSPIRE --MAYBE INSPIRE SOMEONE ELSE.

MAYBE INSPIRE ANOTHER AFGHAN WOMAN.

BUT I FEEL IF I HAVE THIS FREEDOM AND IF I CAN MAKE THE MOST OF IT, I CAN REPRESENT AN AFGHAN WOMAN.

I CAN PRESENT THE WOMEN'S WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND IN AFGHANISTAN AND I CAN SHOW THEM WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN OTHER WOMEN THAT YOU SEE IN THE WORLD.

OKAY, THE WORLD IS TREATING US DIFFERENTLY.

WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY RIGHT NOW TO BE BANNED FROM EDUCATION.

BUT IF WE GIVEN OPPORTUNITY, IF WE'RE GIVEN A CHANCE WE CAN DO GREAT.

WE COULD ACHIEVE.

WE COULD BE SAME AMBITIONS LIKE OTHER WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD.

THAT WAS MY MOTIVATION, TO BRING WOMEN WHERE I AM.

>> I WANT TO ASK, HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF LIVING A QUIETER LIFE?

AND BY THAT, I MEAN, LOOK, YOU WROTE AN OP-ED IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES. "

YOU'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ON AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM.

ARE YOU EVER CONCERNED THAT BECOMING THIS VOICE PUTS A BIGGER TARGET ON YOUR BACK?

>> I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I AM SOMEONE EVEN WHEN I CAME THOUGH THIS COUNTRY, I ALWAYS COMPARE.

I ALWAYS SAY WHAT IF.

AND I ALWAYS SAY WHY I HAVE THIS, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS IN AFGHANISTAN.

AND I AM FEELING THAT WAY.

IF I HAD CHOOSEN THE QUIETER LIFE, I MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT OKAY, HAVE I THE FREEDOM.

I COULD SPEAK UP ABOUT WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN.

I COULD HAVE AT LEAST SHOWED THE WORLD THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT I CHOOSE TO NOT DO IT.

AND I CHOOSE TO IGNORE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND IT WOULD NOT LEAD ME TO LIVE IN A QUIET LIFE MENTALLY.

MAYBE I WOULD BE QUIETER IN THE APPEARANCE, BUT IN MY MIND, I WOULD NOT BE QUIET.

>> AND I ALSO WONDER, WHEN YOU HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH ME, WHEN YOU HAVE YOURSELF OUT THERE LIKE THIS, ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MIGHT RETALIATE AGAINST YOU?

>> OF COURSE I AM.

YEAH, BUT I DON'T WANT TO --THIS FEAR TO HOLD ME BACK OF SPEAKING UP ABOUT AFGHANISTAN AND THE WOMEN.

BECAUSE THIS IS MY IDENTITY.

THIS IS WHERE I AM COMING FROM, AND I HAVE OBLIGATION FOR THEM, FOR THE YEARS THAT I LIVED AND GREW UP THERE.

>> MURSAL RAHIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

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