At least 100 women and girls from 12 provinces of the country participated in a virtual meeting with Aryana Sayeed, the renowned singer and founder of the advocacy group Equality, Freedom, and Advancement for Women (DEFAW). They called on the international community to redirect aid funding toward creating online universities and empowering women instead of sending financial assistance directly to Afghanistan.
The participants urged the global community to break its silence in the face of escalating restrictions imposed by the Taliban, particularly on women’s education.
One attendee voiced her frustration, saying, “Why aren’t these millions of dollars spent on women? Why aren’t they building online universities or schools? My daughter is now suffering from psychological issues. I watch her every day and it breaks my heart.”
During the discussion, women spoke about the challenges they face under Taliban rule, including bans on education, psychological trauma, and economic hardships.
One woman shared her story of interrupted aspirations, saying, “I worked hard for years to study. I started university, and I was in my second semester when the Taliban stopped us during exams. Later, I tried to study midwifery, even though it wasn’t my passion, just to escape the despair. I hadn’t even completed my third semester when that, too, was taken from us.”
She added that the current situation has driven some women to suicide and pushed many others into severe mental distress.
DEFAW, which organized the meeting, said the session highlighted the worsening plight of Afghan women and girls. Participants discussed the psychological and economic toll of the Taliban’s policies, which have intensified since their return to power.
DEFAW said that Karen Decker, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan, sent a message of support to Afghan women and girls during the meeting, reaffirming America’s commitment to standing by them.
According to DEFAW, this was the second virtual session held with Afghan women and girls since the Taliban regained power. Sayeed and the participants stressed the urgency of amplifying women’s voices and finding solutions to the ongoing crisis.
“Women’s voices must reach the world so that a path forward can be found,” one attendee said.
