Afghan women's rights activist Maryam Durani has been trying to break taboos in a conservative society that traditionally keeps its women behind closed doors. 
 
Durani, 30, is from the southern province of Kandahar, once a heartland of the Taliban regime. 
 
She was awarded the 2012 International Women of Courage Award by the former US first lady Michelle Obama. 
 
Durani believes that Afghans need to promote the sense of self-confidence and end the dream of reaching peace through others in order to build a stable and secure country. 
 
For 13 years Maryam has worked for human rights particularly women's rights and for a positive change in the country. 
 
She is from a city where women have been subjected to discrimination and where the majority of people believe that women are made to stay at home.
 
Durani is an outspoken advocate for peace as well as women's and girl's rights in Afghan society. 
 
She is determined to change the culture and perception of women’s roles in a male-dominated society despite the challenges she faces. 
 
Durani has done much work to bring the women out of their homes through providing them with better opportunities. 
 
She has served in different positions and was Kandahar people’s representative in the provincial council and the director of a nonprofit women's development organization Khadija Kubra. 
 
Khadija Kubra has five sections. 
 
Durani is the founder and owner of Merman Radio of Kandahar, a women’s radio channel, established in 2010 to address gender inequalities in Kandahar province and to bring women’s voices to the forefront.
 
Hundreds of girls are getting education in Khadija Kubra organization. 
 
“Our work starts from this room, some of the girls are sitting here, we wished to create an association for the women and finally established the association, now I have separated my office and home,” said Durani. 
 
“What I search for is to get equal rights to the residents of this province so that everyone can live in this province by having their humanitarian rights,” she said. 
 
“The girls are always facing family problems, but I am very happy they are learning here; here the women and girls are provided with various types of programs and many women call the radio and share their problems with legal experts,” said Zeenat, an employee of Merman Radio. 
 
“I have received these awards and prizes over different periods of time in different countries, I received the The 100 Most Influential People in the World award, freedom of press award and many other awards in recognition of my efforts,” she said. 
 
“This is the meaning of life, when someone is born, then he needs to do good work whether he lives for a day or to a 100 years old; but do not fear anyone and fully support our daughters,” said Maryam’s father Eisa Durani.
 
Durani was born in the Islamic Republic of Iran. She graduated from the Payam-e-Noor and American University of Afghanistan. She has a degree in Law and Political Science and Business. 
 
She returned from Iran to her hometown of Kandahar in 2003 and started teaching at a local school. 
 
In 2005, she was selected as the first female member of Kandahar provincial council. 
 
Maryam says that Afghans must stand on their own feet and bring peace and stability to their homeland.
 
Awards 
 
In March 2012, she received the US Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award. 
 
In the same year, Time Magazine chose Maryam as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World". According to Time, "As the owner and operator of a radio station (Merman Radio) that focuses on women's issues and as a member of the Kandahar provincial council, Durani stands up for the region's women with remarkable bravery." 
 
In July 2013, Maryam was selected as one of 30 young activists by National Endowment for Democracy.
 
In May 2014, Maryam received the Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award in Middelburg, Netherlands. 
 
In November 2015, Maryam, received the International Peace Generation Award from UN, America. 
 
In December 2015, Maryam received the Simorgh International Peace Prize awarded on Human Rights Day (10 December 2015) in the context of Human Rights Week and simultaneously with the 19th anniversary of Armanshahr’s establishment.