Zakia Rafiq
- Studies
- Master of Science in Public Health and Health Equity 2025-2026
- From
- Afganistan
- Background
- Medical Doctor (Dentistry)
My name is Zakia, and I am a dentist medical doctor from Kabul, Afghanistan. After earning my degree in Dentistry and completing my house job, I realized that treating patients one by one wasn’t enough. I kept thinking about all the Afghan women who never made it through to the health facility. That realization pushed me towards public health, where I could address the systems keeping women from care in the first place.
I began my public health career at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as a Health Program Intern, where I witnessed firsthand the deep inequalities in access to healthcare across Afghanistan. I later joined Jhpiego, an international organization focused on maternal and newborn health, where I worked as a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Assistant before being promoted to MEL Country Officer. Through these years, I watched Afghanistan’s health system collapse under immense pressure, leaving women almost entirely cut off from essential services.
Women losing access to healthcare in Afganistan
Today, Afghanistan faces one of the world’s most severe healthcare crises. Women cannot work or study, which means we’re rapidly losing female healthcare providers — exactly those professionals women feel safe seeking care from. Healthcare facilities have closed and women are restricted from traveling freely to seek medical care. As an Afghan woman, I don’t just study these challenges — I live them. I’ve seen capable women forced out of their jobs, watched services that used to exist simply vanish, and worry constantly about my mother, my sisters, my friends.
“ I realized that treating patients one by one — only those who could access a health facility — wasn't enough. I needed to reach the women who never made it through the door. ” ”
Developing practical solutions for Afghanistan’s reality
These challenges inspired me to pursue the master’s at KIT, where I’m learning about health systems strengthening, policy development in fragile contexts, and how to lead effectively under the most difficult circumstances. I’m developing practical solutions for Afghanistan’s reality: midwifery-led care centers in communities, mobile health teams bringing services directly to women’s homes, and training programs to rebuild our workforce of female health professionals. These aren’t abstract ideas — they’re urgent necessities born from years of working within a system under crisis.
I’m also building a global network of professionals who have faced similar struggles in their countries. When I return to Afghanistan, I’ll bring back evidence-based strategies adapted to our context, the confidence to advocate for policies that prioritize women’s health, and most importantly, hope — hope that change is possible even in the darkest times.
“ Midwifery-led care centers in communities, mobile health teams bringing services directly to women's homes, and training programs to rebuild our workforce of female health professionals. These aren't abstract ideas — they're urgent necessities. ” ”
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