Today marks 1,500 days since teenage girls in Afghanistan were last allowed to attend school beyond the sixth grade. What began as a temporary measure by the Taliban in 2021 has now stretched into its fifth year, leaving more than 2.2 million girls locked out of the classroom — and for many, pushed into early marriage, isolation, and mental anguish.
In remote corners of provinces like Badghis and Balkh, stories of stolen childhoods are quietly unfolding. One girl, now 16, who asked not to be named for her safety, said her education ended at age 12, when the Taliban shuttered secondary schools. Six months ago, she was forced into marriage.
“When I was in seventh grade, school closed. I thought it would reopen in a few weeks — but that day never came,” she said.
“I loved to study, but my family said that since there was no school, I had to marry. Now I spend every day in the kitchen, waiting for a future that doesn’t match my dreams. Many girls like me are full of hope — all we ask is that our parents wait and support our education, not rush us into marriage,” she added.
She now lives with what she describes as a fading sense of purpose and a growing burden of regret.
Rising forced marriages
Educators and rights advocates say the prolonged school closures are not only robbing girls of their right to learn but also fueling a spike in child and forced marriages.
“When educational institutions are closed to girls, some families see early marriage as the only alternative,” said Basir Ahmad Danishyar, a university professor in Kabul.
“This deeply harms not only the psychological health of girls, but also the social fabric of the country.”
The UN and several humanitarian agencies have warned that the ban is accelerating a cycle of poverty, limiting future opportunities for half the population and endangering public health, especially maternal and infant outcomes.
A nation of lost hope
In Balkh, another young girl shared how the daily rhythm of her life has changed.
“I don’t know what our future holds. I wake up every day thinking about what we’ve lost. Studying used to be a dream — now it’s just sadness and silence. I feel sick inside, like hope has left our lives,” she said.
These are not isolated cases. Across Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, similar stories are told in hushed voices. Local NGOs report a sharp increase in emotional distress and depression among adolescent girls, many of whom now live in near-total isolation, barred from work, education, or even travel without a male escort.
A bleak forecast
According to the United Nations, if the education ban continues, by 2030 nearly 4 million Afghan girls could be denied access to both secondary and higher education. The UN has repeatedly urged the Taliban to lift the restrictions, calling education a fundamental human right and a necessary condition for peace, stability, and economic recovery.
But the Taliban have given no indication that they plan to reverse the policy. While officials have occasionally claimed the ban is temporary, tied to infrastructure or curriculum issues, no clear plan has been announced.
A call to families
Despite the despair, some voices still call for patience and hope.
“I ask parents not to rush into marrying off their daughters,” said the girl in Badghis. “Let us wait. Let us learn again. That’s all we want.”
As the school gates remain closed, Afghanistan’s girls continue to count the days — 1,500 and rising — waiting for a future that grows dimmer with each sunrise.
