Fighting for Their Education

But protests like the one in Gardez—once unheard of in the conservative nation—are becoming increasingly common in this second era of Taliban rule. Across Afghanistan, women and girls are speaking out against the injustices they face, often risking their lives to do so. At the same time, girls are continuing their studies however they can, by sneaking into classes, forming study groups, and attending underground book clubs.

Advocates for women’s rights hope these forms of resistance, combined with increased pressure by Western governments on the Taliban, will be enough to get Afghan girls back into school.

“A country cannot grow when half of its population is illiterate,” Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch told reporters. By keeping girls out of school, she said, “a horrible and terrible future will unfold for Afghan women and girls, and all Afghans in general.”

Protests like the one in Gardez were once unheard of in the conservative nation. But they now are becoming increasingly common in this second period of Taliban rule. Across Afghanistan, women and girls are speaking out against the injustices they face. Often, they are risking their lives to do so. At the same time, girls are continuing their studies however they can. They sneak into classes, form study groups, and attend underground book clubs.

Supporters of women’s rights hope these forms of resistance, combined with increased pressure by Western governments on the Taliban, will be enough to get Afghan girls back into school.

“A country cannot grow when half of its population is illiterate,” Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch told reporters. By keeping girls out of school, she said, “a horrible and terrible future will unfold for Afghan women and girls, and all Afghans in general.”

Today’s Afghan teens grew up under a U.S.-backed government that gave boys and girls the freedom to go to school. But their parents remember a very different world. Afghanistan was plagued by war and upheaval for decades, starting in 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded the country (see Key Moments, below).

When the Taliban came to power in 1996, its leaders took away many freedoms and banned music and TV. They required men to grow beards and limited the types of clothes men and boys could wear.

Women and girls, however, fared even worse. Girls older than 8 were barred from going to school, and most women were forced to give up their jobs. Older girls and women could leave their homes only if they were accompanied by a male relative and wore burkas—long cloaks that cover the entire body. Anyone who broke these rules risked being beaten, imprisoned, or even killed.

Today’s Afghan teens grew up under a U.S.-backed government that gave boys and girls the freedom to go to school. But their parents remember a very different world. Afghanistan was plagued by war and upheaval for decades. It started in 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded the country (see Key Moment, below).

When the Taliban came to power in 1996, its leaders took away many freedoms. They banned music and TV. They required men to grow beards and limited the types of clothes men and boys could wear.

Women and girls, however, fared even worse. Girls older than 8 were barred from going to school. Most women were forced to give up their jobs. Older girls and women could leave their homes only if they were with a male relative. They had to wear burkas, which are long cloaks that cover the entire body. Anyone who broke these rules risked being beaten, imprisoned, or even killed.

Then in October 2001, the United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. Al Qaeda, the group responsible for the attacks, had been operating out of Afghanistan under the Taliban’s protection. The U.S. helped set up a new, democratic Afghan government.

The change improved life for millions of Afghans—especially for girls and women. They no longer had to cover up in public, and girls of all ages could attend school. Many went on to become doctors, lawyers, and politicians. 

Taliban fighters retreated into the nation’s rugged countryside, where they continued to carry out attacks. U.S. and Afghan troops battled them for nearly two decades, making it the longest war in U.S. history. More than 2,300 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers and civilians were killed.

Then, in October 2001, the United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. Al Qaeda was the group responsible for the attacks. It had been operating out of Afghanistan under the Taliban’s protection. The U.S. helped set up a new, democratic Afghan government.

The change improved life for millions of Afghans—especially for girls and women. They no longer had to cover up in public. Girls of all ages could attend school. Many went on to become doctors, lawyers, and politicians.

Taliban fighters retreated into the nation’s rugged countryside. From there, they continued to carry out attacks. U.S. and Afghan troops battled them for nearly two decades, making it the longest war in U.S. history. More than 2,300 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers and civilians were killed.

The U.S. withdrew its last troops from Afghanistan in August 2021. As they left, the Taliban retook power.

Taliban leaders promised global officials they would set up less restrictive policies than during their previous rule. But within months, the group went back on its word.

Under the Taliban’s leadership, Afghanistan is also struggling with economic and humanitarian emergencies. According to U.N. officials, 95 percent of the country’s 39 million people are undernourished, and 6 million are at risk of starving.

Before the 2021 Taliban takeover, about 80 percent of Afghanistan’s budget was funded by foreign aid, says Athena Rayburn, who works in the capital city of Kabul for the aid group Save the Children.

Because most Western nations consider the Taliban to be a terrorist organization, they’ve cut off aid to the country. They have also frozen billions of dollars’ worth of assets from Afghanistan’s central bank. That has destroyed the country’s fragile economy and left the Taliban government without money to pay salaries. With a growing number of Afghans unable to find work, more families are going hungry.

“The situation in Afghanistan is not sustainable,” Rayburn says. “One of the most heartbreaking things is the level of food insecurity.”

The U.S. withdrew its last troops from Afghanistan in August 2021. As they left, the Taliban took back power.

Taliban leaders promised global officials they would set up less restrictive policies than during their previous rule. But within months, the group went back on its word.

Under the Taliban’s leadership, Afghanistan is also struggling with economic and humanitarian emergencies. According to U.N. officials, 95 percent of the country’s 39 million people are undernourished. Six million are at risk of starving.

Before the 2021 Taliban takeover, about 80 percent of Afghanistan’s budget was funded by foreign aid, says Athena Rayburn. She works in the capital city of Kabul for the aid group Save the Children.

Because most Western nations consider the Taliban to be a terrorist organization, they have cut off aid to the country. They have also frozen billions of dollars’ worth of assets from Afghanistan’s central bank. That has destroyed the country’s fragile economy. It also left the Taliban government without money to pay salaries. A growing number of Afghans are unable to find work, so more families are going hungry.

“The situation in Afghanistan is not sustainable,” Rayburn says. “One of the most heartbreaking things is the level of food insecurity.”

A number of foreign governments have said they’ll resume aid—if the Taliban let girls back into school. Perhaps because of this mounting pressure, the Taliban did reopen some middle schools and high schools for girls this past March. But a few hours into the first day, classes were suddenly shut down again. 

A Taliban spokesperson said that classes would resume once officials could agree on a curriculum that follows Islamic law. But schools have remained closed ever since.

Twelfth-grader Zahra Rohani was forced to leave school that day. 

“Education . . . was the only right we hoped for, and it has been taken away,” the teen from Kabul says.

A number of foreign governments have said they will resume aid—if the Taliban let girls back into school. Perhaps because of this mounting pressure, the Taliban did reopen some middle schools and high schools for girls this past March. But a few hours into the first day, classes were suddenly shut down again.

A Taliban spokesperson said that classes would resume once officials could agree on a curriculum that follows Islamic law. But schools have remained closed ever since.

Twelfth-grader Zahra Rohani was forced to leave school that day.

“Education . . . was the only right we hoped for, and it has been taken away,” the teen from Kabul says.

For some girls, being denied an education has emboldened them to continue their studies in any way possible. Many adults—including activists and educators—are helping them. Teachers in Gardez defied the Taliban by reopening girls’ schools last summer. Teens packed into classrooms for nearly two weeks before the Taliban forced the schools to close again. Then local activists helped the girls form their protest in September. Although the march was broken up by Taliban security forces, the teens vowed to keep speaking out.

Meanwhile, other girls across Afghanistan have formed study groups and secret book clubs. In Kabul, girls reportedly sneaked into a boys-only high school to attend classes. But so many of them started to come that the principal barred them out of fear of punishment.

For some girls, being denied an education has made them more bold about continuing their studies in any way possible. Many adults—including activists and educators—are helping them. Teachers in Gardez defied the Taliban by reopening girls’ schools last summer. Teens packed into classrooms for nearly two weeks before the Taliban forced the schools to close again. Then local activists helped the girls form their protest in September. The march was broken up by Taliban security forces. But the teens vowed to keep speaking out.

Meanwhile, other girls across Afghanistan have formed study groups and secret book clubs. In Kabul, girls reportedly sneaked into a boys-only high school to attend classes. But so many of them started to come that the principal barred them out of fear of being punished.

Teens who were close to graduation before the Taliban takeover are also working to share what they’ve already learned with younger girls. Mursal Fasihi, 17, hopes to become a doctor one day but hasn’t been in a classroom since the summer of 2021.

To keep her mind sharp, she became a peer educator for the U.N. Mursal now teaches young girls and teens life skills and coaches them through challenges they face. 

“It is OK to be scared, it is OK to cry, but giving up is not an option,” she says. “When the dark cloud passes, we will see a bright morning.” 

—additional reporting by Patricia Smith and The New York Times

Teens who were close to graduation before the Taliban takeover are also working to share what they have already learned with younger girls. Mursal Fasihi, 17, hopes to become a doctor one day. But she has not been in a classroom since the summer of 2021.

To keep her mind sharp, she became a peer educator for the U.N. Mursal now teaches young girls and teens life skills and coaches them through challenges they face.

“It is OK to be scared, it is OK to cry, but giving up is not an option,” she says. “When the dark cloud passes, we will see a bright morning.”

—additional reporting by Patricia Smith and The New York Times