Bushra al-Maqtari is a Yemeni writer, journalist and activist best known for her powerful portrayals of the human cost of war. Her works, including the acclaimed non-fiction book What Have You Left Behind? (2022), provide a searing account of the Yemeni civil war.
Al-Maqtari has won several prestigious awards, including the Françoise Giroud Prize for the Defence of Freedom and Liberties and the Johann Philipp Palm Prize for Freedom of Speech and the Press.
Born in 1979 in Taiz, Yemen, Bushra al-Maqtari spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, where her father worked in construction. Her family had to return to Yemen in 1990 amid political tensions between the two countries. Al-Maqtari continued her education at Taiz University, where she studied history and later became an academic. Her early literary work began with a collection of prose, The Furthest Reaches of Pain, in 2003.
Al-Maqtari's activism gained momentum during the 2011 Yemeni revolution, where she emerged as a prominent leader of anti-government protests in her hometown of Taiz. Known for her fearless advocacy, she played a significant role in organising the March for Life from Taiz to Sanaa.
She was described as "one of the movement's earliest and most fearless leaders" by the New York Times. Her outspoken stance led to threats on her life, including a fatwa issued by Yemeni clerics, but she continued to speak out and campaign for freedom and human rights.
Her first novel, Behind the Sun (2012), explored the issue of enforced disappearances in Yemen, further cementing her reputation as a powerful voice in Yemeni literature. Al-Maqtari's commitment to documenting the atrocities of war was evident in her later work, What Have You Left Behind? (2018).
This non-fiction book offers an unfiltered look at the lives of ordinary Yemenis affected by the civil war. Featuring 43 first-hand accounts collected by al-Maqtari, the book depicts the deep sorrow and disillusionment of those caught up in the conflict. "Brave, painful, necessary and harrowing," commented Marcel Theroux, underlining the book's compelling narrative.
Despite international recognition and offers to emigrate to safer countries, Bushra al-Maqtari continues to live and work in Yemen.
Photo credit: www.al-monitor.com
Al-Maqtari has won several prestigious awards, including the Françoise Giroud Prize for the Defence of Freedom and Liberties and the Johann Philipp Palm Prize for Freedom of Speech and the Press.
Born in 1979 in Taiz, Yemen, Bushra al-Maqtari spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, where her father worked in construction. Her family had to return to Yemen in 1990 amid political tensions between the two countries. Al-Maqtari continued her education at Taiz University, where she studied history and later became an academic. Her early literary work began with a collection of prose, The Furthest Reaches of Pain, in 2003.
Al-Maqtari's activism gained momentum during the 2011 Yemeni revolution, where she emerged as a prominent leader of anti-government protests in her hometown of Taiz. Known for her fearless advocacy, she played a significant role in organising the March for Life from Taiz to Sanaa.
She was described as "one of the movement's earliest and most fearless leaders" by the New York Times. Her outspoken stance led to threats on her life, including a fatwa issued by Yemeni clerics, but she continued to speak out and campaign for freedom and human rights.
Her first novel, Behind the Sun (2012), explored the issue of enforced disappearances in Yemen, further cementing her reputation as a powerful voice in Yemeni literature. Al-Maqtari's commitment to documenting the atrocities of war was evident in her later work, What Have You Left Behind? (2018).
This non-fiction book offers an unfiltered look at the lives of ordinary Yemenis affected by the civil war. Featuring 43 first-hand accounts collected by al-Maqtari, the book depicts the deep sorrow and disillusionment of those caught up in the conflict. "Brave, painful, necessary and harrowing," commented Marcel Theroux, underlining the book's compelling narrative.
Despite international recognition and offers to emigrate to safer countries, Bushra al-Maqtari continues to live and work in Yemen.
Photo credit: www.al-monitor.com
years of life: 1979 – present
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