One year of the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education
(Courtesy of Wakil Kohsar / Getty Images)
“My throat tightens and tears flow in my eyes when I think about how I am not free to study,” shares Gulnoor*, a secondary student in Afghanistan.
For the last year, the Taliban’s de facto ban on girls’ secondary education has prevented girls like Gulnoor from going to school — but she isn’t letting it stop her from learning.
Along with 350 other young Afghan women, Gulnoor is taking classes with LEARN, a nonprofit co-founded by Malala Fund Education Champion Pashtana Durrani that offers online and in-person classes for out-of-school Afghan girls. Available in Dari and Pashto, the courses cover topics like biophysics, chemistry, graphic design, website development and coding.
“This is the only way forward,” says Pashtana of the programme. “I know I have capacity to support my students so why not? I am responsible to ensure there is a generation of literate Afghan women who lead the country in the future even if we are not alive to see it.”
Continuing their studies still presents risks for these young women. “I am going to the course fearing that I might be harassed and abused on the way,” explains 15-year-old Fatemeh*, another LEARN student, voicing her concerns about the current regime’s local vice and virtue police that patrol her community. “My family also worries for me until I come home.”
Despite the threats, these young women keep studying and keep hoping for a brighter tomorrow. Gulnoor, Fatemeh and their six of their peers ages 15–18 share below what their lives have been like since the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education and how they’re continuing their studies with LEARN.
“I have a feeling of fear that my language cannot express. Every time I think about my current situation, anger tightens my throat, tears roll in my eyes and my body trembles with fear because I never imagined this situation.
We have a very bitter history with the Taliban. We are afraid even of the name, the Taliban. It is a group that does whatever it wants.
“I have a feeling of fear that my language cannot express. Every time I think about my current situation, anger tightens my throat, tears roll in my eyes and my body trembles with fear because I never imagined this situation.”
Their arrival has completely changed our lives. Now I wear clothes according to their wishes because of fear. I can't go out for fun; I follow all their restrictions. Access to education has become difficult and learning has become less. The gates of the schools closed. We cannot study and those who go to the LEARN course study with thousands of fears and apprehensions.
Personally, I am going to the course fearing that I might be harassed and abused on the way. My family also worries for me until I come home. We even witnessed that one day the Taliban came to the institute where we secretly take classes and threatened us, saying that they will imprison the family of whoever opposes their restrictions. What could be worse than threatening a girl with her family?”
— Fatemeh
“After the Taliban came to power, there were huge changes in Afghan society. One of the worst and most disastrous changes was the prohibition of secondary school for girls. This decision has negatively affected all aspects of our society — scientifically, socially, economically and culturally. Our life before the Taliban was not great, but it was good. But now there is more hunger, poverty, corruption, psychological issues and thousands of other problems. There has been nothing but misery and disorder.
I have become a hermit in my house. As a girl, I am deprived of my human rights. If I want to leave the house, I have to wear a burqa and have a mahram. All this makes me feel more weak. The Taliban has made me feel like I am weak.
“I will never give up on my education.”
I have always loved to study and to be better than everyone else. I tried my best in all subjects, but I can no longer go to school. I have the opportunity to improve my English and learn computer programs through LEARN courses, which are useful for me. I will never give up on my education.
The current situation that I live in is very difficult. No one understands what this feels like except other Afghan girls who are stuck in the same trap. The worst feeling is watching them take away my dreams, the purpose of my life. Seeing children begging on the streets and the despair of young people, thinking that I might be forced to marry like some girls and wondering about my fate. The ambiguity makes me feel weak. I have no other choice but to cry. I just hope the darkness of this night will end in a bright morning soon.”
— Esin*
“With the arrival of the Taliban, many things have changed for me. Before I was going to school. I had dreams like every child, dreams that were becoming bigger and bigger. Thanks to the support I received from my father, teachers and school principal, I was motivated to participate in various educational, entertainment, cultural and political programs. I even got to present on the radio.
But right now I can't work in the media or study at school. My throat tightens and tears flow in my eyes when I think about how I am not free to study. It is really painful. I can only go to the LEARN course but still fear that I might be persecuted by the Taliban. Put yourself in our place. When you enter the society, your right to freedom and work would be taken away. What could be worse and more painful than this? I didn't think that I would see so many dark days at my age.
“My freedom, my hopes and my dreams were taken from me the day schools closed.”
Because the Taliban closed the doors of girls’ schools on us, students have become less motivated and don't have any goals for the future. All those who could one day make their dreams come true have left the country. My freedom, my hopes and my dreams were taken from me the day schools closed. When we go to the courses, the Taliban forces us to wear black clothes and face masks.
I am a girl who was born and raised in the era of democracy; education and freedom have a special meaning to me. Then the Taliban came and took those two basic rights from us. I am stuck in a great despair and see only a dark future ahead. I request all the women's rights activists and all those who believe in human values to fight for us. Don't leave us alone in these difficult days.”
— Gulnoor
“Before the Taliban, I had many great dreams. Even though I was a student, I used to work in a restaurant. Since the arrival of the Taliban, we have been unable to keep and develop this business, and all of our plans were destroyed.
“... when we want to go to our LEARN courses, we have to go out with the hijab because the Taliban said so. When we leave our house, we have thousands of stress and worries.”
Girls used to be able to go to different places; there were no obstacles in our way. Normally, we go to our lessons without any challenges, but presently we have to study secretly. For example, when we want to go to our LEARN courses, we have to go out with the hijab because the Taliban said so. When we leave our house, we have thousands of stress and worries.
Definitely it’s clear that the current conditions are not pleasant and acceptable for any Afghan girl. It is like being in prison. But still we have optimism and we always hope that we can overcome these hardships.”
— Taaraa*
“Closing and restricting girls from high school prevents the students from reaching higher education. It directly affects and lowers their interest to study and learn. They feel unwanted, unmotivated and threatened in their homeland.
“Closing and restricting girls from high school prevents the students from reaching higher education. It directly affects and lowers their interest to study and learn. They feel unwanted, unmotivated and threatened in their homeland.”
Human nature is that you take a step forward and to develop and grow, not to take a step backwards. We have chosen to learn and get education in order to develop, but the current situation over education gives everyone a feeling of guilt for what they have done. We don’t have equal rights in this society, and in a society where there are no equal rights it's obvious there is injustice. And in an atmosphere where you can't go outside because you feel threatened.”
— Morsal*
“It has been more than one year since the doors of the schools have been closed for girls. It’s like we are in a situation where breathing is allowed for the male and forbidden for the female.
The pain and suffering that took place made every day feel like an intolerable year for Afghan girls. The state of all the girls living in Afghanistan is like a butterfly in a cage. How can anyone live freely and be happy while locked up? We can't achieve what we want without being in a good state. Now we have educational and social limitations, which if continued, will destroy our history and efforts of 20 years ago.”
— Hamdiya*
*Editor’s note: Esin, Fatemeh, Gulnoor, Hamdiya, Morsal and Taaraa are pseudonyms.
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