Lyse Doucet, the BBC's chief international correspondent, has been awarded the prestigious Women's prize for nonfiction for her book, 'The Finest Hotel in Kabul'. The accolade not only recognises a significant work of reportage and history but, more importantly for Doucet, provides a platform to refocus international attention on the dire situation for women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
Doucet first arrived at Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel on Christmas Day 1988, expecting a brief stay. Instead, she remained for nearly a year, making the hotel her initial Afghan home. More than three decades later, this iconic establishment became the central narrative device for her debut book. The Intercontinental, often simply called the Intercon, was originally constructed by the British in the late 1960s and once symbolised a more cosmopolitan Afghanistan, a period when Kabul was known as the 'Paris of the East', bustling with culture and fashion.
Through nearly four decades of reporting from Afghanistan, Doucet, 67, has witnessed the country traverse profound political transformations, from Soviet-backed communism and civil war to Western-supported democracy and the recent return of the Taliban. Her book meticulously chronicles this tumultuous history through the enduring presence of the Intercon and the lives of its staff, such as Hazrat, the housekeeper, Abida, the first female chef, and Malalai, an early female waiter, whose stories highlight the resilience of the Afghan people.
Doucet expressed her hope that the prize would reignite global concern for Afghanistan. She emphasised the unacceptable reality of a country where girls are denied education beyond 16, women are barred from university, and numerous job opportunities are closed to them. Since their re-seizure of power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of American forces, the Taliban have systematically dismantled women's rights, implementing draconian measures that have effectively erased women from public life.
The fall of Kabul in 2021 was a deeply traumatic experience for Doucet, who vividly recalls the chaotic evacuations from the airport, with Afghans desperately clinging to planes. Her book opens with this pivotal moment, underscoring the profound and lasting impact of the events on the country and its people. By bringing these stories to the fore, Doucet aims to ensure that Afghanistan, and particularly the plight of its women, does not fade from the international consciousness.
Source: The Guardian