Over a Million Afghan Girls Barred from School Since Taliban Takeover
In a shocking revelation, a new report from the Atlantic Council highlights how more than one million girls in Afghanistan have lost access to education since the Taliban seized power in 2021. According to Tolo News, this ban has turned learning into a quiet act of defiance for these young women.
The report paints a vivid picture of resilience amid hardship. "Since the return of the Taliban in 2021 and their imposition of a gender apartheid system, more than one million girls in Afghanistan have been pushed out of school," it states. "Yet, across villages and cities, they continue to learn, build, and lead—often in silence, and often starting from next to nothing."
Women’s rights activist Tafsir Siyahposh voices the growing frustration. She urges the Islamic Emirate to open schools and universities for women, warning of a dire future. "We may not have doctors tomorrow, which is extremely important. We may not have teachers. In every field where women are needed today, we might have no one left to step in," she told Tolo News.
Female students echo these calls, demanding the reopening of schools shut to them for years. Rabiya, one such student, finds hope in her art. "When I work on a piece of art or paint a picture, I feel hopeful. I tell myself that even if I can’t go to school, at least I’ve managed to reach a certain point," she shares. "Art is not less valuable than science, but worldly knowledge is necessary for us—we must learn it, because we are the ones who can build the future."
Maryam, another aspiring student, keeps it simple: "My only wish is that the doors of schools be reopened for us as soon as possible so that we can have a brighter future."
The Islamic Emirate has stayed quiet lately on girls’ education in Afghanistan, but it often dismisses the issue as a "domestic matter" and asks international groups to stay out of the country’s internal affairs, Tolo News reports.
This ongoing crisis spotlights the urgent need for women’s education rights in Afghanistan, where Taliban restrictions continue to limit opportunities for half the population.
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