By Sahar Foladi
An advocate who always works around the clock for refugee and migrants’ settlement, Shabnam Safa has added yet another award to a long list.
Ms Safa migrated to Australia as an Afghan Hazara refugee from Pakistan with her parents and three young brothers.
As a teenager, she saw Australia brimming with opportunities where she could receive basic education, the right to work as a woman, not be targeted for her gender or ethnicity as a Hazara – a minority group in Afghanistan.
“Starting a new life from scratch in a new country is not easy, no matter how much you think you’re prepared for it,” Ms Safa said.
“It was challenging but also exciting at the same time because we didn’t know what was around the corner.
“I wanted to study and take on all the opportunities that would come my way. I didn’t plan the future out but I knew I had to make use of every opportunity and that’s what I did.”
Nearly 14 years later, she’s crowned as Bakhtar Woman of the Year – her most recent award.
She has represented Australia at various international summits including United Nations, serves on multiple government advisory boards at State and National levels, inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, chairs the National Refugee-Led Advisory and Advocacy Group (NRAAG), co-founded two not for profit organisations, works in Community Refugees Sponsorship Australia and so much more.
“It was a journey to give back, looking at the things not possible for my family and I to achieve before and to make it happen here.”
She threw herself into opportunities from within and outside of school, joined karate a year after she settled in Australia, earned her black belt in 2013 and represented Australia at multiple international and national championships.
“That has taken a back seat in my life right now but it was a huge instrument of change. It wasn’t just sport, it helped me become more confident and take on challenges that I otherwise wouldn’t have.”
She also ran for the 2016 City of Casey elections where she finished in the top five out of the 18 candidates.
As a young person then, she’d always been active in the local community from the get-go.
She was also awarded the 2014 Sportsperson of the Year by the City of Casey.
In between everything she does, voluntarily or as a requirement of her work, she’s consistently working whether it’s supporting community advocacy initiatives and conversations or to raise awareness on events surrounding issues in Afghanistan and refugees.
“I feel I’m constantly working and not because it’s required of my role but just working towards the goal that I have for myself, the future that I want for myself, my community and others around me.
“It’s been a very difficult couple of years for the people of Afghanistan both within and outside and I feel a huge and deep sense of responsibility to use my skills and resources and do something about it.”
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, she has been a strong advocate as a founding member of the Action for Afghanistan campaign.
The campaign called for concrete action and policy reform in Australia including a special humanitarian intake, the abolition of Temporary Protection Visas (TPV), family reunification, and other key issues affecting the Afghan Australian community.
“I may not be able to help people in Afghanistan but I know I can make a difference here in Australia so I have thrown myself into that completely over the last few years.”
After the suicide attack on the KAAJ educational centre in Kabul in September 2022, which targeted mainly Hazara girls, Hazaras and Afghans around the world united in uproar against the continuous attacks.
The global movement also saw community demonstrations in the heart of Dandenong and across Australia which Ms Safa played a key part in. Like many other Afghans her parents attended.
“It was an emotional event. The community was hurting and there were people who had lost family members in that attack.
“After the event my father said, there were so many things I wanted to do in life which I couldn’t because of the journey I had to take and factors outside of my control.
“Looking at you I feel you’re doing a lot of what I never could do but wanted to do. I see a lot of me in you.”
Although her family is very supportive and proud of all that she does, they’re concerned about her wellbeing.
However, her parents also know the importance of the work and changes their daughter brings out.
“We have come from a country where generations have been displaced or had to live with war and its consequences. My parents now see another generation go through this.
“But they see the younger generation step up and learn from the experiences of those who’ve come before us.”
After years of advocacy from different organisations across Australia, communities celebrated as the Australian Government announced a pathway towards permanent visas for 19,000 refugees on TPVs and SHEVs.
“I’m starting to see a shift in the refugee narrative in Australia. It’s partly because of a change in government and more and more people wanting to do something about this growing worldwide issue.”
She described this moment as “exciting” with much hope to look forward to. However, there’s more work to be done to clear the backlog created in the system.
“I would love to see a larger additional humanitarian intake from Afghanistan. Currently Labor hasn’t indicated anything in that space.
“I would like to see the abolishment of the TPV and SHEV architecture that can’t be used to punish people for seeking safety in Australia.”
Her work has taken her all over the world including volunteering in India for six months and also Greece where she worked in refugee camps.
Ms Safa will strive to become an effective socio-cultural change agent and sees herself continuing to advocate for refugee rights and create changes in Australia and beyond.
