I will always recall ‘meeting’ Laiba for the first time. The unusual circumstances of her being in the mountains of Pakistan while I was at my desk in Glasgow made for a memorable first conversation. The conditions for talking, with the zoom connection continually dropping, were less than perfect but I was very much struck by her determination to have the meeting so she could get on with her work to explore the experiences of women in Afghanistan. Her desire to use her position and the advantages of her education to help understand the situation of those enduring incredible hardship was very moving and inspiring. I am deeply sorry that Laiba did not have the chance to bring her thesis to a conclusion, but I am very grateful for being able to work with her for a short while and to appreciate her passion for the topic and her commitment to those most in need.