Many women in Afghanistan are subjected to violence, oppression and poverty every day. A 3D printed metal pendant helps to raise awareness of one Afghani woman’s protest.

On March 7^th 2015, Kubra Khademi walked down a street in Afghanistan wearing protective armor, to make a statement about the mistreatment and oppression of women in her country.

However, her walk against harassment and violence was disturbed after only eight minutes as she faced abuse on the streets, including having insults thrown at her and even being groped.

She was forced back into her car, and had to be taken away and fled to a secret hiding place for months as she received death threats because of her feminist protest.

“I knew there would be this kind of reaction, but I didn’t realise it would be so extreme,” she told The Guardian, “I can’t even go to my house. I wonder how long it will be before I can go back there, and it makes me sad.”

Walk with Kubra Khademi: 3D Printed Metal Pendant

Although a worthwhile cause, Kubra’s activism has had very limited coverage in the media. This outraged the artist Jeremy Burnich, the founder of Joy Complex, so he decided to do something to help raise awareness by creating a stainless steel 3D printed pendant.

As he explains on the Shapeways product page:

“I created the “I Walk With #KubraKhademi Pendant” so that people can show solidarity with brave women like Kubra Khademi and raise awareness about her art and her struggles. This pendant is modeled on Kubra’s armor – symbolic of what women have to endure around the world – from insults and cat calls in New York, to stones and death threats in Afghanistan.”

The pendant is a miniature replica of the armor which Kubra wore, but the sales have not been as successful as Burnich had hoped. He said on his blog: “Sadly, I failed to sell a single one. But, last night out of the blue I was contacted by Kubra (who is currently in Europe). First via Instagram and then by email.”

Kubra posted on Instagram: “I am in love with this design which is like my armor ! eventually I come across!”

If you’d like to support Kubra’s plight, then head over to Shapeways where the pendants are being sold for $37.62. From each pendant sold, Burnich makes $20 USD, and profits from each sale will be donated to the charity Women for Afghan Women.