When Taliban closed universities to women, Sahar Aryan had just begun pursuing the career she had dreamed of since childhood.
She was a first-year university student and hoped to become a doctor. Five years later, she says, that dream remains out of reach.
Aryan is among millions of Afghan girls and women who have been denied access to secondary and higher education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and imposed sweeping restrictions on female education.
“It has been five years since the universities were closed,” Aryan told Amu TV. “I was in my first semester when the Taliban came to power, and I could not continue my studies.”
She said being forced to abandon her education has taken a heavy toll on her mental health.
“My mental state is not good,” she said. “I stay awake at night and sleep through the day.”
Her mother, Khadija, said her daughter’s life changed dramatically after the university closures.
“My daughter cannot study and cannot go to university,” she said. “She has developed mental health problems. She can no longer speak with her parents the way she used to, and she has become withdrawn. I hope all girls in Afghanistan will once again be able to study, receive an education and live peaceful lives.”
The Taliban suspended university education for women in December 2022, months after banning most girls from attending secondary school. Together, the restrictions have left millions of Afghan girls and women without access to formal education.
The United Nations, rights groups and foreign governments have repeatedly called on the Taliban to lift the bans, arguing that they violate the rights of Afghan women and girls. The Taliban have defended the restrictions, saying they are consistent with their interpretation of Islamic law, and have shown no indication that they plan to reverse them.
For Aryan, the hope of returning to university has not faded.
Like millions of other Afghan girls and women across Afghanistan, she is still waiting for the day she can walk back into a classroom.
