Living Precariously in Pakistan

Lia is an Afghan lesbian and human rights activist living with her sister in Pakistan,
under constant threat of violence and deportation back to Afghanistan, where she would
face certain death. In Afghanistan, she studied at a university and volunteered with two
organizations supporting women’s rights, education and legal protection.

“My work for women’s rights in Afghanistan was tremendously meaningful to me, but it
also made me a target. Everything changed when I received a death threat from the
Taliban in a letter hung on my family’s front door. They knew my name, where I worked
and the fact that I refused to stay silent.

As a lesbian, I was in twice as much danger – being myself could cost me my life. I
reached out to Hive through an underground LGBTQ+ network with both fear and hope
in my heart. For the first time, someone listened.

With the support of the entire Hive family, my sister and I escaped to Pakistan. But life
here is not safe. We live hidden in a tiny apartment, unable to work, study or even walk
outside without fear of harassment or deportation. Every day we hear news of Afghan
refugees being sent back. For someone like me, returning to Afghanistan means certain
death. We are surviving, but we are not living.

We await our final step toward a life of dignity and freedom. I dream of a future where I
can live openly, love freely and give back to others who are suffering the way I did. Hive
is the only reason this dream is still alive.

Hive gave me hope at a moment when I believed my life was over. I am deeply grateful
for Hive’s work and for the compassion they continue to show to people like me.”