From Kabul to Vechta: Wahida’s research will shed light on the experiences of Afghan refugees in Germany

Having recently begun an academic position at the University of Vechta, SAR-assisted scholar Wahida R. reflects on the role of her research and human rights work in amplifying the voice of “millions of Afghan women and girls,” five years since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

 Wahida R. investigated domestic violence and publicly advocated for women and girls in Afghanistan. But after the Taliban takeover in 2021, she lost her position as a lecturer and researcher at Kabul University. Her husband, Qasim Azizi, a journalist, also had to give up his job. For the next several years, they navigated a life in hiding and worked with SAR to identify a place where she could pursue her academic career and live in safety with her family. In March 2026, Wahida, her daughters, and her husband arrived safely in Germany, beginning a new life at the University of Vechta. 

“The journey from Kabul to Vechta was anything but straightforward,” said Dr. Daniel Ludwig, SAR primary representative at the University of Vechta. The challenges were many: rejected funding applications, lengthy visa processes, expired passports, deportation threats, and most recently, an urgent flight search after the closure of Qatari airspace following US airstrikes in Iran. “It took many people who were willing to truly commit themselves – beyond their regular duties. The fact that it worked shows what is possible when a network like Scholars at Risk meets dedicated people on the ground.”

Wahida reflects on the SAR community around her family while they navigated the long and complex journey to the University of Vechta. “Their valuable support and efforts in helping me find an academic position, assisting us in reaching a safe environment, and standing with us throughout every stage of this journey are unforgettable to us.”

In Germany, she sees an environment where knowledge and scientific work are truly valued, allowing her to continue her research without fear, uncertainty, or threat. “It means a great deal to me to return to my academic life and regain my professional identity. I am continuing a path that I pursued for many years with great dedication and perseverance, but which was suddenly and shockingly interrupted by the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.”

Now, as a research assistant and doctoral candidate with Professor Dr. Corinna Onnen in the Department of Sociology, she is studying the experiences of Afghan refugees in Germany, a group that has been little researched to date. “Wahida brings not only expertise but also a perspective that is hardly represented in German sociology,” says Dr Onnen. Her work will deepen understanding of, and inform support for, Afghans living in Germany, addressing a significant gap in the social science literature while creating a lasting impact for this community in exile.

Academic freedom remains “completely restricted” in Afghanistan, according to the Academic Freedom Index Update 2026, and the Taliban has continued to strengthen its control over the higher education sector, including by purging textbooks, closing universities, and punishing students and faculty who failed to comply with the government’s interpretation of Islam.

“Her research on gender relations and violence in her home country cost her her position,” says Dr. Onnen. “The fact that she can now continue this work under secure conditions – and also consider the situation of the Afghan community in Germany – is something very special.”

Wahida reflects on the impact of her work, given the restrictive environment in Afghanistan. “I feel a responsibility to use my academic and human rights work to be a voice for millions of Afghan women and girls who, for the past five years, have been living under discrimination, repression, and systematic restrictions and have been deprived of many of their fundamental human rights. Throughout this journey, I will do my best to place my knowledge, experience, and abilities in the service of humanity, justice, and human dignity.”

Wahida’s journey to Germany was made possible thanks to these partners, to whom SAR extends our gratitude and appreciation for this collaboration: University of Vechta, Heinrich-Böll-Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy, Kabul Luftbrücke, Journalists without Borders, Media in Cooperation and Transition.

Wahida is one of hundreds of scholars who have been supported by SAR this year, and we are presently seeking positions for more than 40 other scholars. Become a SAR host campus and help scholars like Wahida to resume their vital work. 

Learn more about hosting a SAR scholar on your campus

This piece is adapted from a University of Vechta’s press release, translated from German to English using Google Translate. Read the full piece: “From Kabul to Vechta: University takes in persecuted scientist” »