Impact of Education Ban for Girls in Afghanistan: Stories and Messages from Young women from Afghanistan

   “Education is a basic human right and an integral component of our individual and collective lives. Education has a significant impact on the development of a country’s capacity to be autonomous and progressive. Education is as a light; without it, a country will never progress and will progressively turn towards darkness.

Unfortunately, Afghanistan is a country where girls are deprived of their basic right to education. It is evident that education for women and girls is an integral part of Islam. There is also a Hadith of the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) that says, “Searching for knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim male and female.” Furthermore, one of the most important Islamic principles is justice, but closing the doors of schools and universities and barring girls from education is an injustice against an entire generation.

    Girls’ education is the credit of a nation. The education of girls helps nations to survive, thrive and prosper. With education, a state moves towards development and civilization, thus enhancing its status. Education and knowledge is the basic rights for women. The generation and application of knowledge give birth to humanity, peace, tranquility, and life development.

    Afghanistan is a country where its people lived through conflicts for over 40 years. Even during the difficult time, most girls received their education and had achievements in socio-economic sphere. Further to this, due to their learning, they gained many achievements internationally. However, unfortunately, the young women are now banned from acquiring knowledge in the country by the Taliban. Closing the doors of schools and universities against girls and depriving them of education has no Islamic origin. Banning Afghan girls from education means not giving them their basic human rights.

   It is an undisputable fact that Afghan women are a part of the global human community. I call on the international community and other countries to not abandon Afghan girls and women and to stand up for their basic rights and champion their right to education.

    Lastly, I request that the unprincipled decision on girls’ education be withdrawn and that they be permitted to attend schools and universities.

  Until we get equality in education, we won’t have an equal society.”

• Anonymous

    “As a girl and a student, we have a dark, unknown and very painful future ahead of us because the gate of education has been closed on us. The hard work of many years, the economy, security and the good facilities are all lost, and that’s unbearable for us.

    Women lost their jobs and duties, most of them were the sole earner for their families, and nowadays they do not have any rights.

    The whole world is silent and are not aware and considering the situation of Afghan women.”

• Sadia from Balkh University writes

    “Despite all the hardships and challenges, I started my bachelor’s degree with a hope to change my future for better and contribute to change in my country. However, the Taliban destroyed all my dreams and shattered my hopes. Today, I don’t have any hope and I feel desperate all the time. When I first heard the news about the closure of universities, I was shocked and couldn’t believe that the decision would be implemented. The next morning when I went to the university to study, I saw the Taliban standing in the doorway and screaming at us to go home. Most of the young women were crying and begging to be let in, but the Taliban pointed the guns on them and threatened to shoot us if we didn’t return to our homes. I couldn’t believe my eyes and was forced to go home with a broken heart. Now it has been several days since the doors of universities are closed to female students. We are all despondent and our only dream is that our university be opened again so we can continue our education. Is it too much to ask?”

• Nilab from Kabul University writes

    “The Taliban have deprived girls from learning science and acquiring knowledge.

    This deprivation is destroying not only the lives of girls and women, but all the inhabitants of this land.

    If in a few days they announce that every family that gives birth to a girl should bury her alive, there would be no doubt.”

• Anonymous

    “It is not easy to study and continue education in Afghanistan if you are a woman. It takes courage and strength. I didn’t stop learning even when all the odds were against me. I didn’t stop learning even when I was hungry and cold. Despite all the obstacles, I finished my school and worked hard to be admitted to the American University of Afghanistan. During my first year, there was an attack by the Taliban on our university and dozens of students were killed and injured. The horrific scenes of that day couldn’t break my will to continue my education and I still continued my education with hope and strength. In other words, nothing weakened my resolve until the news of the fall of Afghanistan. That particular day, I felt that everything was about to change and girls and women would be forced to be locked in their homes because of what the Taliban believe. Our university was closed and I continued my education online. Later, I was evacuated to Qatar and I got the chance to continue my education. But I am sad for all those women who lost their chance to study, to dream and to hope for a bright future. I hope and pray that the universities reopen in Afghanistan and girls get an opportunity to contribute to changing Afghanistan.”   

• Husay from the American University writes

    “Well, as we understand the current conditions, the banning of girls’ education and the bad economic conditions, all these will influence the young generation and prevent them from reaching their goals. I myself was very affected by this situation, I was not disappointed, because if we lose hope and give in to the game, it will cause society to fall under the control of some idiots who will use politics to take advantage of them personally and how the people of this society will be built by their own hands. But we will never surrender to this group and we try to wake up the society so that they know that no one can rule over us by force.”

• Sadia from Kardan University writes

    “With the closure of universities’ doors, girls and women are suffering from mental health issues.

    We all studied hard in school to get accepted to our dream university. What the Taliban is doing to female students is unbelievable and unacceptable.

    Although its winter and are off from universities every year during this season, however, sadly, I think that the winter will never end as the doors of schools and universities are closed on us.

    Despite everything, I am hopeful that our universities will start again in the new year and we will be able to continue our studies. I will be able to graduate and achieve my dreams.”

• Forogh from Kardan University writes

    “I was at home and I had studied my lesson and I was happy that I can go to university and continue my studies. But I became aware that the Taliban closed universities for girls. This hurt me so much. I am a student at Kabul university. I enjoy my studies so much, but now I study at home and face different problems like electricity, internet issues, etc. I have a lot of dreams like other girls. I wanted to make my future bright. One of my biggest goals was to become a pharmacist and give services to my country’s poor people. Unfortunately, the Taliban banned universities for all women and are not allowing girls to study.

    As a Muslim education is necessary for all men, as well as women, Holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed us to gain an education at any cost.  However, it was my bad luck to be bornin a place where women do have not any rights The current government banned our university and destroyed the dream of millions of girls’ students. I have to believe in Allah and that He will be just and put an end to this cruelty. Pray to Allah that He saves us from these oppressors, and reopen our educational institutions, so that all girls and women get their education, achieve their goals, and make their dream come true. Ameen.”

• Mursal from Kabul University writes

    “Education is a human and Muslim right of every man and woman. For an enlightened, progressive, and free society, women should be educated. If a woman learns, she will present an informed and awaken generation to society. A woman is half of the-body of society.

    A woman can defend her rights and become aware of her responsibilities whenever she learns science. Islam is not against a woman’s education. We know that the first professional woman in Islam was BiBi Khadija and the first person who supported the Prophet (PBUH)

    A person who knows the benefits of education will not be prevented from reaching their goals by the closing of universities and schools.”

• Meena from Zarghoona High School writes

    “The Taliban group generally has an anti-women policy. This group is against women’s presence in society and women’s public activities. The aim of this group is to isolate women. In the previous government of this group, women were generally excluded from social activities, and women were not given any rights or opportunities to grow.

    The Taliban has no faith in women and their abilities. They consider women to be commodities and believe that they were created only for reproduction.

    As you know Taliban group is harsh to people in Afghanistan, and especially to a generation inflicted by famine.

    I am an Afghan girl. I am not allowed to take my own decisions about my attire, education, or even personal choices. Now there is no open school for girls and even no careers available. The restrictions on Afghan women are escalating every day, they are not counted as among an active society in Afghanistan. They are not allowed to go out without their close male relatives and are prohibited from going to picnics, parks, schools, universities, and another educational environment.”

• Anonymous

    “We are broken, we are scared. We have gone back twenty years. We are now living the exact life to that when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in the 1990s. During that time Afghan women were condemned to stay at home by the Taliban. Now after closing the schools for girls, the universities are also banned. It is frustrating not to see the result of all your efforts, It is heartbreaking to see all your dreams disappear in one night and you find yourself in darkness and misery.

    When I heard that universities are closed to girls, my heart became hopeless. I could hear the sound of my heart breaking into pieces. Despite all the hardships we faced since the arrival of the Taliban for the second time, going to school and universities was like a ray of light shining in the darkness. But now the situation is terrible. Now we are headed in an unknown direction. All Afghans are worried and sad. The majority of the society are depressed.”

• Zahra from Kabul University writes

    “I am a 4th-year student at Kabul University. When I mention Kabul University, my eyes filled with tears. I and the Afghan girls of my country worked hard to reach and succeed at university and to have a bright future, a future that does not exist anymore because of an ignorant and extremist group.

    In the history of Afghanistan, only the Taliban have instituted policies banning girls’ education. Girls are not deprived of education in any Muslim-majority country anywhere else in the world, the first time I heard this news, I fell silent and suddenly tears flowed from my eyes. I still have no words to describe the pain I feel in my heart.

    If this decision of the Taliban is not revoked and people and the international community remain silent in front of such oppression, it might have far-reaching consequences for the future generations in the country.

    In hope of freedom for women with hearts full of pain”

• Setara from Kabul University writes 

    “The doors of schools are closed to us; we are banned from entering school and are prevented from working outside. Why have we been robbed of our basic rights? Is being a girl and women a crime? As I have learned, Islam has given us more rights than men have, but what the Taliban is doing to us is against Islam. All I dream about is to be able to go to school and learn something to make my country a better place. Is it too much to dream for?”

• Diana from Zarghoona high school writes

    “I remember waking up early morning to pray and prepare myself for school. We had a class project that particular day and I and three of my classmates had been working on it during the last couple of days. We are really excited to present our project and I was rehearsing on way to school when I saw the Taliban standing near the entrance of our school. Girls were crying everywhere and the Taliban were shouting to go home. I thought something was going on and maybe there was an attack on our school. I asked a girl there who was crying and she told me that we are banned from going to school. Again, I couldn’t believe what she was saying and tried to go near the entrance of our school when a Talib pointed his gun at me and said go home, you are not allowed to come here ever again.

    I cannot describe how I felt that day, or even a week, a month, or a year after that. Yes, I still feel heartbroken, as if everything I dreamed shattered in one instant. I cannot write anything else but this; please open our schools.” 

• A high school Student writes:

    “It is very difficult to be a woman in Afghanistan. All around the world women like men have equal rights. In fact, before being women, they are human, and the whole community respects their rights. Tragically, women in Afghanistan are treated differently. In our country, women are the second-class gender, and pertain to the house and its accompanying chores. For women in Afghanistan there is no work outside of the home, no earning money, and no education. This is the perspective and belief of the Taliban.

    Moreover, access to education is a right for every child both girls and boys.  In a third-world country like Afghanistan, girls cannot attend school because of the Taliban. That’s why Afghanistan will never develop.”

• Deeba from Kateb University writes

    “Before the Taliban came, I didn’t even think about the day that the school would be closed and girls would be denied of their rights. Unfortunately, it became a reality and I can’t go to school. This is the worst feeling I have experienced in my life. Unfortunately, 90 percent of Afghan women are illiterate. If no women are able to go to school and universities, it will become 100 percent.”

• Muzhda from Malalay high school writes

    “Everything was going well. It was my last year of school; I was very happy that I was able to finish my 12 years of school successfully with thousands of good memories.

    I was still in school when we heard the heartbreaking news that province after province was falling to the Taliban.  This was the time when I was preparing for my school exams.

    The last news I heard was that Kabul fell into the hands of the terrorist group the Taliban. At that moment, my heart was broken. All my dreams vanished along with the previous 12 years of hard work.  I couldn’t control my anger and emotions and started crying. The only thing that made strong and kept me from despair was the promise that I made to myself when I was 13 years old. I promised that I would not stop fighting in any kind of difficult situation or during any kind of pain, and that would keep trying no matter what to save my country from this awful situation one day.

    It was morning when I put on my school uniform. I prepared myself to go to school. On my way everyone who passed me laughed at menthe were saying that this girl is going to study, but she doesn’t know that the Emirate forbids her to go to school.

    I didn’t pay attention to what they said to me and kept walking. I continued until I reached the school. When I wanted to enter the school, the person who was responsible for the entrance barred my way. At the same time, he laughed at me and said, “aren’t you afraid of coming to school in this situation?” I just stood looking at the person and felt the weight my heart was carrying.  Disappointed, sorrowful, and brokenhearted, I went home back.

    Every day I was waiting for my school to reopen so I could finish my last year and attend the graduation. Days passed like this and we were waiting for a new decree to open our schools.

    An announcement was made by the Ministry of Education that the students of the 12th grade are already graduated from school. That allowed me to join one of the private universities called Kardan University. I studied for almost two semesters and I was about to finish the first year of university.

    All a sudden, the Taliban, in a new ruling, banned universities until further notice.  I contacted the university, enquiring if I could attend the exam, and they responded yes. I left for the university in the morning.  When I arrived at the university, the gate of the university was closed by the Taliban and no one could to enter.”

• Raihana from Aysha Durani high school writes”

    “With the coming of the new government, many changes were made to our lives.One changeis that all girls and women are facing the closure of their schools and universities.

    The Taliban is trying to cripple the foundation of science and knowledge in Afghanistan, especially for girls, which is very disappointing. This action of the Taliban is very disappointing for us women. It was not long ago that women were already restricted in every way possible.

    After the end of the semester, when we went on winter vacation, terrible news was published by the Taliban government, which read: “The universities are closed”. I was really saddened to hear such news. I felt stricken. I have no hope for a good future for me and my family in Afghanistan.”

• Lima from Kateb University writes:

    “Being a woman and living in Afghanistan is challenging. One of these challenges is access to one of the most important human rights, the right to education. Unfortunately, access to education is controlled by the Taliban. For women, bright days have become dark nights.

    As a student of Kabul University, I am deeply saddened by the state of girls in my country. For me it’s very difficult to be faced with an unknown future and live in an ambiguous world. All of us are disappointed. We need the international community to help us to gain back our educational rights and to be treated equally.”

• Salma from Kabul University writes

    “The situation in Afghanistan, especially for girls, has become very difficult. All schools have been closed, and everyone is disappointed.

    Studying is the right of every man and woman, but this right has been taken away from Afghan girls. It is great injustice done to Afghan girls. We are sorry that our own Afghans have taken the right from their mothers and sisters. But I still believe that, despite closing schools and universities, they can never stop us from studying.

    We will continue our way. No matter how many difficulties we face in this way.”

• Surah from Malalay high school writes

    “I had a lot of goals and dreams. I wanted to get education and to achieve my goals. Now I feel so sad because whenever I try harder and harder, the Taliban becomes crueler.

    When I heard that the Taliban doesn’t permit girls to lean, I accepted that they are foolish and cruel people. They shut out the light on a country which comes from education and knowledge.

    I can never give up and I will never submit to this foolish government. I will never give up on learning new lessons in my life.”

• Husna from Zarghoona high school writes

    “After the takeover of Afghanistan, I was optimistic that there will be change in the Taliban’s attitude and approach, but through their behavior they proved that they have not changed and they are still the enemy of women and modern values.

    After the collapse of the republican government, this group abolished the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and created the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in its stead.

    In the new decrees, the latter group has blocked women from amusement parks, gyms, and closed women’s bathrooms and restaurants.

    In the first days of the collapse of the republican regime, they closed the gates of girls’ schools and said that female students should stay at home until further notice. Now, more than 500 days have passed that the doors of girls’ schools above the sixth grade are closed.”

• Naseema from Abul Qasem Ferdawsi school writes

    “Our noble poet Saadi said: Children of Adam are like parts of a body. As an Afghan girl, I feel the pain of the Afghan women and girls with all my heart, the pain of educational deprivation, the pain of closing the doors of hope and desire, the pain of losing the future. We are desperate about our future. Closing schools and universities equate to the return to the age of ignorance. I know this with all my heart. One of the aim of Islam is to wipe out ignorance from humanity, but now groups in the name of Islam are pursuing their own interests.”

• Shabana from Sutan Razia high school writes

    “Everyone knows that Islam has given educational rights tto both men and women, but why did the Taliban prevent girls from getting an education?

   I feel very sad about this decision. It affects woman very badly. This is the time for us to pursue education.  This is not good news for this generation. This situation is very difficult for girls, as most of them are faced with mental and emotional problems. What is even worse is that, in some provinces, girls are committing suicide.

    To conclude this situation is harmful to everyone, especially to those girls or women who work to support their families. I was working as a teacher but now I’m at home just wasting my time. Inshallah, this time will pass and we will have a bright future with Allah’s help and our hard work.”

• Anonymous

    “I am an 11th grade student at Zulikha high school. It is about one and half years since I have been able to attend school because the Taliban closed them in August 2021. The night that Taliban took Mazar-e- Sharif, it was our last day of exams in school. As usual I was studying and felt so happy. I studied until 5am. When I finished, I slept just a single hour.

    We went to school and everyone was talking about the Taliban. Our teachers came and administered the exam in a hurry. We were scared that what would happen when we finished our exam. Our teacher told us to go home quickly. All of us knew that it was our last day of school. We tearfully hugged each other and went to home. Then Taliban came to Kabul. Everyone was upset and hopeless. I cried a lot that day. I knew that everything would be like before, when the first time that the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. However, my family and my relatives told me that the Taliban have changed and I tried reassuring myself that maybe they are right and that they might let us go to schools.

    Later, the Taliban said they will open schools on the 21st of March. When I heard this, I was so much happy that we would return to school, I would see my friends, and everything would be like it was before.

    The day before 21st of March though, I waited until 10 am to see if the news says that schools were opened for girls after 7th grade. While waiting, as I prepared my clothes, my bag and my shoes for the following day, the news said that the Taliban will let the girls go to schools. I was so excited that we were going to go to school after 186 days. So I finished prepared everything for the next day and I didn’t sleep that night due to my excitement. My friends texted me and we talked about morning. It was 5am when my sister and I dressed and headed to school. My friends were there too. We were so happy to see each other after a long time and we when went inside, we hugged each other so tight and cried tears of joy.

    Lots of my classmates went to other countries, just a few of them are left in Afghanistan.  We sat in class and our teachers came. Everything felt like normal, like before.  Suddenly the teacher came and told us to leave the school and go home because the Taliban said that schools were closed until further notice.  We were so upset and desperate. I came home and I cried myself to sleep. I can’t describe the crushing feeling; it was like my world was ruined. I kept asking myself that what our crime was! Is it just because we are girls? Why can’t we study but our brothers can? Why can’t we have the basic human right to education? My family tried consoling me, but I lost hope for anything. F a month I was depressed. I didn’t want to talk to anyone or go anywhere. All I thought about was why all this was happening to us. It was such a tough time. I tried to keep myself busy with other things because I thought I was going crazy.  I found online classes but my interesting anything, especially in study is gone.”

• Madeena from Zulikha High School writes

    “When the Taliban said that courses, colleges, and parks are closed for girls, I was so sad. I kept asking why everything should be closed for us? What did we do?

    I remember my school days and I remember how they banned us from school and didn’t let us study. We are living in a country where we can’t do anything for ourselves orfor our families. We are alive but we are not living. We lost our independence. We feel like we are in jail. I had big dreams for my future and now I can’t do anything. I hope one day everything will be fine and we return to our schools because we need to learn and improve and help our poor country.”

• Setara from Ferdawsi high school writes

    “Afghan girls are like flowers that are plucked every day by the Taliban. It’s hard to be a girl in Afghanistan. We are pages of untold stories that no one is going to look to read.

    I graduated from school and I was going to pass the Kankor examination to study at university. We are in a dark situation. It’s hard to be in your homeland but still want to leave it because of the situation. Today, we girls are as worthless people, deprived of all our rights and live like soulless bodies in this society. All the girls of this land are very tired of always being ignored by a class of people. We cannot tolerate these conditions. We need support, we must raise our voices until we are heard. Every flower of this land will dry out and be destroyed. We are deprived of our most basic rights, which are education and work.”

• Zohra, a high school, graduate writes

    “In 2021, Taliban took all over Afghanistan and made their own rules in the country. They banned schools for Afghan girls, and it is being more than one and half year that girls cannot go to school and it is very painful. In the 21st century, girls do not have their primary rights because of the Taliban. Everyone is very tired and hopeless, especially women. No one knows about their fate and what should they do for their future.

    In the last few days, the Taliban took away the right of working outside, and they said, women are just made for the house, they cannot participate in community affairs.”

• Sara from Lisa Mariam school writes

    “Sometimes I wonder if hell is here, a place where they don’t let me study, even though in the Holy Qur’an it is clear and precise that obtaining knowledge is obligatory for Muslims, both men and women. Since the day I attended the school, I have been taught this. This statement has been included in all my books.

    Due to the closure of schools, all the girls are feeling depressed. Remembering the memories of school makes me cry. If the Taliban come in the name of religion, they should not ruin it in the name of Islam. We are the only nation that sheds tear because of the banning of education for girls, and there are no more tears for shed.

    God, if I must continue to endure this in the future, I long for happier days in the next world”

• Madena from Zarghoona high school writes

    “On Wednesday, I woke up early in the morning and got ready to go to university. When I reached university and I saw all female students standing in front of the gate and crying hopelessly and the Taliban were around. The guard told us to go home as universities are banned till further notice. My eyes were full of tear and my heart was feeling very heavy pain. I could not hold my tears. That day was darker than any night, all I watched there were broken hearts young women standing in front of university door.

    No woman is as hopeless as an Afghan woman in her motherland.”

• Treena from Kabul university writes

    “It was December 21, 2022. We were in our university and studying. Suddenly, we got a heartbroken news. The Taliban banned our university, not just university or school but also prevented from working outside. They don’t allow us to go to university, school, courses or any other educational institutions. Day by day each and every Afghan girl gets more and more anxiety. When we heard this heartbroken news, we were like dead bodies and there was too much silence everywhere. That day was the dawn of hopes, goals and future for every Afghan student. People who close educational institutions on women are the cruelest among all people in the world. They are the main reason of every tear of Afghan students and their families. We are the only nation crying for education.”

• Sonam from Kardan university writes

   “The recent announcement of placing educational and work restrictions on girls and women is against international human right law. In fact, it is another step backward and adversity in our community. Girls who are banned from attending school beyond sixth grade were hoping schools to be open to them. Unlike the aforementioned expectation, girls and women are not allowed to continue their higher education, at least until the next edict. There is no room to argue about Afghanistan’s lack of ability to progress unless the equal right to education is instated for both girls and boys, and that education is an integral part of life and there should not be any boundary or break to acquire it. In this critical situation, where more opportunities should be provided for learning, taking the fundamental right to education away does not have a validity for the Afghan people.”

•  Neptune Mohammadi, a university student writes