Without education for girls, Afghanistan loses its chance for a better tomorrow

Girls can't pursue their educational and professional dreams beyond six grades of primary school

Originally published on Global Voices

Afghan girls in a classroom. Screenshot from the video ‘Afghan girls sit exams despite not attending schools for a year’ on the Al Jazeera English YouTube channel. Fair use.

This article was written by S. Haidari in 2025. It is being published with her consent as part of a special coverage series that tells the stories of young women and girls from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

I am a girl from Afghan soil, a land that has buried countless dreams beneath its surface. 

I was a girl with big dreams for my future. Dreams I knew I could only achieve through hard work, education, and resilience in the face of many challenges. 

Alongside my father, who stood by me like a strong fortress, I worked tirelessly to move closer to my dreams, sparing no effort in pursuit of my goal.

Then my country was engulfed in the flames of war, and the dreams of many of us were reduced to ashes. Still, I did not lose hope. I continued striving, despite the harsh circumstances, to reach a bright and prosperous future. 

But when the Taliban cast their shadow over our country, life changed for everyone, especially for girls. Everything became more difficult, but the girls of my land did not remain silent. They rose and fought for their rights.

As time passed and conflict deepened, the doors to our hopes and aspirations were shut. My peers and I found ourselves in a situation where the closed walls around us blocked every path to the future. 

Moving around and trying new paths

In the midst of this, my father never gave up. He always worked to create opportunities for my sister and me to continue our education. We moved to another city with the hope of continuing our studies, but even there, the doors of knowledge and learning were closed to us.

Despite this, I never gave up and kept searching for new paths to continue my education. Eventually, I joined an institute in the field of midwifery sciences, as it was the only place where girls were still allowed to study. 

But after a while, the Taliban ordered the closure of all educational institutions, and girls were banned from studying in any field.

That was when despair reached its peak. We were stripped of everything — even our most basic human rights. 

Remaining loyal to dreams

Neighboring countries and the international community continued to turn a blind eye, as if we, Afghan girls, had never existed. In the face of this oppression and injustice, they remained silent and took no steps to improve our situation.

Still, as an Afghan girl, I continue to believe in my dreams and stand firm against every obstacle. Although the doors of education have been closed to us, I will never stop trying, no matter how many limitations are placed before us. 

I am certain that if Afghan girls are denied the right to education, not only will they lose their futures, but Afghan society as a whole will lose its chance for a better tomorrow.

As an Afghan girl, I remain loyal to my dreams and hold onto the hope that one day, the world will hear our voices and stand up for our rights. I continue to hope for a bright and prosperous future for all the heroic girls of my country, Afghanistan.