Malalai Joya in Conversation with Richard Fidler

"I'm here physically but my mind and my heart of course are in my country."

Malalai Joya: "I'm young, I don't want to die. I want to serve my people. I have energy. I have lots of hopes."

MP Malalai Joya has been described by the BBC as "The most famous woman in Afghanistan." And while Malalai has achieved amazing things since becoming the youngest member of Afghanistan’s new parliament, her opposition has been vocal, and, at times, violent. Malalai is in Australia speaking on International Women’s Day, a fight she knows all too much about.

But despite the inequalities that still pervade her country, Malalai is not just fighting for the women of Afghanistan, but for the freedom of her people. She says since the US deposed the Taliban regime, other warlords have taken their place. "I'm here physically but my mind and my heart of course are in my country. The situation for people there is not good.

"Men and women in Afghanistan unfortunately they do not have liberation at all. After the domination of Taliban, the US and its allies, they replaced instead of Taliban, Northern Alliance killers with the mask of democracy. Northern alliances are those killers that from 1992 - 1996... they murdered 65,000 civilians. They did lots of violence especially against the women in Afghanistan. Unfortunately right now... they are in power and control Afghanistan. That's why there are not fundamental changes in our country. Right now our president is like a hostage in the hands of these warlords and criminals."

Malalai displayed great courage in running for parliament, and has ruffled many feathers since being there. She says no matter what trials she has to overcome; the terrible predicament of people inspires her to keep fighting. "The suffering of my people, men and women, they give me that courage. The ruin of my country gives me that courage. The crimes of these criminals give me that courage. And also the support of the international community - freedom loving democrat people around the world."

But while many of Malalai’s fellow MP’s may not like her radical ideas on reformation, some have attempted to silence her protests with various attempts on her life. "Every step of my life is risky. I'm not sure even about my future. The enemies, they understand that I will never compromise and I will never be silenced. One day maybe physically they will kill me. Of course I'm young, I don't want to die. I want to serve my people. I have energy. I have lots of hopes."

"Life is like jail for me. Unfortunately I can't go outside without bodyguards. I have to change my house every night. I can't have office and house in Kabul because of security reasons."