Khadija Haidary’s letters reach readers in ChinaCEFR B2
28 Mar 2026
Adapted from Lina Ma, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Kuzzat Altay, Unsplash
Khadija Haidary’s month-long email correspondence unexpectedly reached Chinese readers after it was translated and published in October 2024 on a medium-sized WeChat account called “Haidary on Positive Links.” The exchanges focused attention on the changes in Afghan life after the Taliban recaptured Kabul in 2021 and later formed the basis of her book, “A Letter from an Afghan Woman.”
In the book Haidary described how women lost basic rights between 2021 and 2024 and gave concrete examples:
- Women were forced out of work and forbidden to walk alone.
- Women were not allowed to be treated by male doctors and were blocked from medical schools.
- Girls were barred from schools, parks and swimming pools and many faced early marriage.
- Journalists faced imprisonment and, in some cases, death for reporting the truth.
Haidary, who wrote for Zan Times, was sheltering in the countryside when Chinese journalist Weilin Hong contacted her in September 2024. The correspondence made Haidary feel her story mattered and helped persuade her to leave; by early October 2024 she and her family were settled in Pakistan. A Chinese publisher later offered a contract and a royalties advance that could help the family move to Canada. The book appeared in August 2025 and sold more than 10,000 copies within months. Readers promoted the book across platforms such as Weibo, Xiaohongshu, WeChat, Telegram and Douban, and state media also published reviews. Responses varied from personal reflections to practical support: a Xiaohongshu post highlighted 18 short stories and contrasted past freedom with present restrictions, and a reader delivered a copy to Haidary in Pakistan during a business trip in November 2025. In January 2026 Hong reflected that these quiet acts of help spread across China like a relay. In a constrained civic environment, solidarity did not disappear but became quieter, more fragmented and often personal, shaped by online sharing, reviews and individual acts of support.
Difficult words
- correspondence — regular exchange of written messages
- recapture — take back control of something lostrecaptured
- royalty — payment to an author for their salesroyalties
- shelter — give a person a safe placesheltering
- solidarity — support and unity among people
- fragmented — broken into smaller, disconnected parts
- bar — officially prevent someone from doingbarred
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the correspondence and book prompted both personal help and quiet online sharing in China? Give reasons from the text.
- What practical effects did the publication have for Haidary and her family? Mention details from the article.
- How might the restrictions on women described in the article affect everyday life and opportunities in society?
Related articles
Viral videos and Addis Ababa’s new boulevard
After President Erdoğan’s visit, a motorcade video of a new Addis Ababa boulevard went viral. A similar reaction followed an influencer livestream. The corridor project aims to modernize the city but faces criticism amid conflict and humanitarian needs.
Pakistan’s solar boom and the challenge for the grid
Repeated heatwaves and frequent blackouts have driven households and businesses in Pakistan to install rooftop solar. Cheap Chinese panels and more batteries have boosted self-generation, but officials worry about grid revenue, imports and safety rules.
