The Escape from Kabul : WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING 2026

The extraordinary, moving story of the Afghan women judges who fought for their careers and their lives, and the international network of women who helped them escape the Taliban.

WINNER OF THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING 2026A gripping story of rescue, survival and female solidarity. In the twenty years since 2001, Afghan women obtained legal degrees, became judges and set out to transform their country – tackling corruption, and reducing horrifying levels of violence against women and children. These educated and powerful women led the mission to build a modern democracy. However, when Western forces withdrew in August 2021, the women judges of Afghanistan and their families faced mortal danger. The Escape from Kabul is the never-before-told story of the escape of nearly 200 women and their families, thanks to a network of professional friends, female judges and lawyers from around the world, who refused to abandon them to the Taliban. A searing insight into the challenges of safely building a new life overseas and also the captive fate of women in Afghanistan. ‘Anyone concerned about the fragility of rights or the isolation of those living under repression should read this book’ Martha Minow, author of When Should Law Forgive?