Afghan women and girls are forging a new – and covert – path to education.
Several international organizations are stepping in to help them discreetly learn as the Taliban – a Islamic fundamentalist group that regained power in Kabul in 2021 – continues to punish would-be female students. Under its control, Afghan women and girls currently have few, if any rights. Not only are they restricted from seeking an education, but also from working, driving or taking on leadership positions. The Taliban took the restrictions a step further last summer by ordering all beauty salons to close.
Breaking these rules can result in harsh consequences, in a situation the United Nations refers to as a “gender apartheid.” But according to CNN, women and girls are seeking an education anyway, in secret, thanks to humanitarian organizations who provide them with free online schooling, as well as lessons taught over the phone, via television and radio, or even in-person at discreet locations.
One such group is University of the People, an online university and nonprofit that provides women refugees around the world the opportunity to obtain certifications, associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees for free. And it’s already proven beneficial for some women. One such student, Khawar, is a 22-year-old woman who dreams of becoming a cardiologist. She told CNN that she’s pursuing a health sciences degree at University of the People to that aim.
But it’s not easy – Khawar, who declined to provide her real name for safety reasons, says her life was starkly different before the Taliban regained control. Now, her days consist mostly of prayers and household chores. Despite this, she manages to sneak in learning when she can. “I hope that one day everything will change,” Khawar says.
Begum Organization for Women, which aims to reach and teach women through digital and mass media, is also trying to help. In addition to educational lessons, it also features psychologically focused programming. It’s a popular offering – the organization’s Radio Begum station receives up to 20 calls from women per day, according to BOW founder Hamida Aman.
Mental health issues often arise in Afghan women, as they are also subjected to rape, abduction and forced marriage in addition to legal oppression, the U.S. Department of State found. A 2023 Gallup poll also revealed that most respondents felt women in the country were not treated with respect – a scourge with harmful impacts. “Mothers are calling us to complain that their daughters are not eating anymore,” Aman told CNN. “They seem depressed, they don’t talk, or they keep crying.”
While grappling with the oppression, researchers have also found that some of these women and girls wind up displaced, even moving to neighboring countries to escape. According to the UN refugee agency USA for UNHCR, 4.5 million Afghan refugees have fled to Iran since 2021, mostly women and children.
For those who stay, education can provide a path to freedom. Under Taliban rule, however, getting a degree is a hurdle in and of itself – and getting hired for work is harder, still. But for women like Kawar, nothing will stop them from pursuing their dreams.
“They may never understand us now, but one day, they [the Taliban] will regret it,” Kawar said.
