Mahira Khan, an unconventionally charismatic actress has achieved milestones in her career by raising her voice against social issues like racism, sexual violence and refugees. Due to these efforts, BBC acknowledged her by naming her in the list of 100 inspiring and influential women 2020. Mahira is also a national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations high commissioner for refugees where she digs into the unfavorable circumstances that afghan refugees face and creates awareness about them. Here are some key issues Mahira stands firmly and talks aloud about.
She never endorsed fairness creams in her career!!!
She says in an interview that she has been approached numerous times to perform in fairness cream ads but she always refused to do them. She says it doesn’t make any sense to her why someone with lighter skin tone has some kind of superiority over the darker one and the latter has to look white to be called beautiful. This standard of beauty never made sense to her.
She believes education is the key to eradicate sexual violence!!
She talked about the hype that is created after an incident takes place regarding sexual violence, rape for instance. Protests and demonstrations are held, news media conducts talk shows over the issue, it becomes trending on social media and then what? The matter gradually dies with time and rapes keep on happening at the same pace. She emphasizes on the importance of education and creating awareness among the children and youth in order to prevent the incidents of sexual violence.
She also takes responsibility for being a part of the media industry that portrays abusers as heroes. She condemns those dramas showing a woman being assaulted by a man and later on falling in love with the same man who abused her previously and ultimately, he is the hero. An abuser, she says, can never be a hero. ‘We have to change this narrative’, she stressed.
She works with the UN to help improve lives of refugees.
In the interview she showed a picture of the first time when she visited Karachi as UNHCR goodwill ambassador. She expressed her concern over the fact that displaced Afghans are deprived of their basic rights. “The dreams of displaced Afghans are no different than anyone else’s dreams. To have a home, to send their children to school, to provide for their families. They need peace to fulfill their dreams.”
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