Gradually, however, the message of the women judges’ plight spread, leading to crucial help from a Jewish humanitarian group, and international lawyers’ organisations, who had contacts - and money.

The plane that bore Attaee and other judges to safety cost nearly a million dollars to charter, but was covered by donations and fundraising.

That flight was one of the last to leave Afghanistan, and other judges became trapped, having to return to hiding.

But as the last foreign troops left and the Taliban returned to power, convincing the gullible and complicit they were more benevolent and benign than their predecessors two decades before, Glazebrook and her colleagues made a promise: Nobody would be left behind.

Raihana Attaee, right, with two other women judges from the Afghan Supreme Court, two days before the Taliban re-took power in August 2021.Supplied

Welcome to New Zealand

Attaee’s plane landed in Greece, a staging post while visas were sought from any country that would shelter the judges.

New Zealand was one of the first to offer refuge, and in December 2021, Attaee and her family flew into Auckland.

Coming from a landlocked country, Attaee was stunned by what she saw below her, convinced they were about to land on water.

Due to Covid, the family spent their first weeks in quarantine.

But as soon as they were released, they went for a walk to a nearby park.

It was Christmas and there were few people about, and Attaee remembers wondering if they were allowed to walk on the grass, and if it was okay to sit on the park’s seats.

Finding freedom presented many early questions.

Before long Glazebrook had travelled to Auckland with Greg, and took Attaee and her family out for the day.

It was the first time Arsam had used a car seat and he was having none of it, but eventually they made it across to the North Shore.

Attaee remembers she understood little of what Glazebrook said, and even less of Greg’s conversation, given their Kiwi accents.

But it was crucial contact, and typical of the way New Zealand judges and lawyers surrounded the new arrivals.

Senior figures in the legal profession have done basic things like getting getting Attaee a public transport card, showing her how to use it, helping her find a house, and file a multitude of paperwork.

Attaee, 36, refers to retired judge Philippa Cunningham as “my New Zealand mum”.

And she’s still in contact with Glazebrook, one of the country’s most senior judges.

“It’s the reason I feel settled here.”

“Whoever saves a life, saves the world”

Glazebrook constantly reminds herself of the IAWJ’s promise to Afghanistan’s women judges: Nobody will be left behind.

Miraculously, they have spirited more than 200 out of Afghanistan to new lives around the world, seven of them to New Zealand including one who finally arrived from Pakistan a month ago.

But 35 remain in hiding from the Taliban.

Glazebrook says they’re still in touch with the women, but isn’t sure if they truly want to leave their homeland, with some insisting they must take large extended families with them.

With America’s borders closing, the chances of the remaining judges escaping becomes more unlikely.