An Afghan boy shares his message for Afghan girls
(Courtesy of Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images)
“When girls and women learn, everyone benefits. That is why it’s not just up to girls and women to speak out.”
I am a 17-year-old Afghan boy living in Kabul and my life has turned upside down since the Taliban’s takeover.
My country has become like a jail and the situation is getting worse day by day. In parts of Afghanistan, some people are being killed in the ongoing war, others are dying due to failure of the health system and still others while illegally leaving the country. For those of us who are still alive, it doesn’t feel like living. It feels like a gradual death.
I miss our old life. We used to go for evening walks and have coffee in the busy bazaars of Karte 3, spending hours talking and laughing. I used to take guitar classes and play music during our family gatherings. My sister Marwa* was going to learn guitar too; she had just bought one for herself. But now our life has changed. My guitar class is closed. Music is not allowed anymore. The bazaars and cafes are silent and quiet. No one is interested in going out for an evening walk. The bazaar is full of children and adults begging and worried how to feed their families and children. Most of the boys in my school have left because the quality of education has declined so much that there’s no benefit to going to school for future jobs since we’re not learning anything anymore. I am studying in a government school and we no longer have a teacher or a specific time table. You can go to school anytime and leave it anytime. The school administration doesn’t care. It is a terrible nightmare. I haven’t learned a single thing in school since the Taliban takeover.
“Most of the boys in my school have left because the quality of education has declined so much that there’s no benefit to going to school for future jobs since we’re not learning anything anymore.”
As different as my life is, my sister’s life is even more different. She is not allowed to go to school. It has made her feel completely silenced. I look into the face of Marwa and my 13-year-old cousin Maryam* and I can feel their pain. It makes me so disappointed that the Taliban is denying their right. Quality education offers girls and boys the opportunity to have the job of their choosing. When we have educated politicians, engineers, doctors and reporters of both genders, our entire society benefits.
But the Taliban, with their dark policies, have made girls’ and women’s lives like hell. Under the Taliban, they have no rights and their voices aren’t heard. Our home has become a jail for my sister, my cousin, my mother and my aunt. They are losing hope. They can’t remember their dreams for the future because under the Taliban, they have no future.
Every day, I hope I wake up from this terrible nightmare. But I cannot and don’t want to lose hope. I want to show my support for all Afghans, especially for Afghan girls banned from going to school. I need to tell them that these days will pass. I want Afghan girls and women to know that many of us Afghan boys and men believe in your equality and human rights. I want Afghan girls to know that we have your back and we will get through this.
“I hope other Afghan boys and men will join me in standing next to our sisters. We need to respect their opinions and experiences and amplify their voices. We can use our platforms to write about what’s going on and ensure their stories are heard.”
Seeing Afghan girls speak up makes me feel so proud. They have so much courage. I hope other Afghan boys and men will join me in standing next to our sisters. We need to respect their opinions and experiences and amplify their voices. We can use our platforms to write about what’s going on and ensure their stories are heard. There is no logical reason that boys and men should have more rights than girls and women. When girls and women learn, everyone benefits. That is why it’s not just up to girls and women to speak out. We must all lend our voices to this cause. Together we can get through this and create a free and equal Afghanistan.
I want to take this opportunity to direct you to some powerful accounts from Afghan girls so you can hear in their own words how the crisis is affecting their lives:
*Editor’s note: Marwa and Maryam are pseudonyms.
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