Bamyan Governor Dr. Habiba Sarabi stands on a patio overlooking the Bamyan river valley where the ancient standing Buddhas of Bamiyan statues used to reside in two giant insets, one of which can be seen here, June 18, 2012. Sarabi is the only female Afghan provincial governor in history.Since becoming a Governor, Dr Habiba Sarabi has efficiently governed Bamyan and used this platform to promote the rich cultural heritage of the province. © Ali Sher

Born in the mid-50s in Mazar-i-Sharif, a cultural and religious site in Afghanistan with famous shrines that get thousands of visitors annually, Dr Habiba Sarabi’s childhood was similar to that of many girls in her country. She grew up in a lower middle class household where money was tight, and her father preferred her brothers. She had to work twice as hard to show that she was capable of doing as much as them, if not more.

(Copyright: DW/N. Conrad)

Female genital mutilation is still practised in many African countries, despite being officially banned. Girl members of the semi nomadic Pokot ethnic group in Kenya have to undergo the painful ritual.

From the young Bollywood star Jiah Khan to Hollywood’s heartthrob Marilyn Monroe, depression has destroyed several women. It is like a cancer that slowly and steadily kills one’s love for life and may even lead to suicide. The World Health Organization estimates that the depressive trend is two to three times more in women than in men. Every year, more than 350 million people around the world die of depression. Surprisingly, India tops the list for having the maximum number of depressed people in the world. Debarati Mukherjee speaks to psychologist Mandira Khandve who offers solutions to help Womentalkonline readers to lead a depression-free life.