PANJSHIR, Afghanistan — Girls in Afghanistan’s Panjshir province, barred from attending school for nearly three years, are sharing accounts of the daily hardships and lost dreams they face under Taliban rule, which has converted many former schools into military bases.
“Every day feels wasted,” said Farahnaz, a Panjshir resident who has been unable to continue her studies since the Taliban’s return to power. “I was a student during the Republic, but since the Taliban took over, I’ve been stuck at home, unable to complete my education. Three years have passed, and I see my peers around the world attending university while my days go by without purpose.”
Farahnaz’s sister, who was a university student, also had her education cut short. “She, too, has lost her right to study,” Farahnaz said, adding that Taliban forces had burned and closed the local university. “We both feel trapped, like we’ve lost everything.”
Their mother, Sediqa, worked for the government in Panjshir under the previous administration and is now the sole provider for her family. “Life without my husband has left me alone to support my family, and each day is a struggle,” she shared.
Girls and women across Afghanistan continue to experience restrictions on education and employment, facing severe barriers under the Taliban’s strict policies. As of now, it has been more than 1,333 days since girls above the sixth grade in Afghanistan last attended school, with the Taliban’s lock on education showing no signs of lifting. Afghan women and girls continue to plead with the international community, urging them to address their plight with urgency.
