Mursal’s Voice for Change | Column 2

Education for Afghan Girls: From a Right to an Unreachable Dream

For a long time, girls and women have been considered weak, emotional, and dependent, especially in societies like mine (Afghanistan). But I have learned through my own journey in life and the journeys of other brave Afghan girls, that we are much stronger than the world expects. 

In today’s world, in some corners of this earth, the voices of half of the population remain silent. I am also one of those girls, an Afghan girl who has fought a lot in the heart of darkness. But I have decided not to remain silent. I have decided to speak up, write, and fight for the rights of those girls in Afghanistan who are left behind. 

I grew up in a country with 40 years of war, a country where people did not even have the chance to live peacefully. In my homeland, people struggle to survive, let alone dream. But among all these miseries, being a girl has always been a big and different challenge. Being a girl is not simple in Afghanistan because girls have always been deprived of their basic rights, and others have always made decisions for them, from the right to education to forced marriages. 

People talk a lot about the rights of girls after the return of the Taliban, but in fact, even before that, some girls did not have the right to study in many areas of Afghanistan. Some families still believe that education does not have any benefit for girls. They are afraid that if their daughters go to school or university, others will judge them because they see it as a shame. Girls and women have always been the victims of such conservative societies.

But why is there so much inequality? Why should girls be deprived of education?  I have always had these questions in my mind, but I never could find the true answers. I am lucky that my family, especially my father, has always supported my education. But that does not mean the path was easy for me. As a girl, I have always faced difficulties in my country, even before the return of the Taliban. But their return made the situation even worse.

My story is not just about myself; it reflects the stories of thousands of Afghan girls. In 2021, just before the Taliban came to power, I was selected for the LEAP Leadership Program in India, supported by the U.S. Embassy. I was one of only two girls from my province chosen for this program. I had big dreams of traveling and learning, but when the Taliban returned to power, my dreams were suddenly silenced. It was only the beginning.

I felt so broken when the Taliban announced that girls could not go to school after 6th grade. But fortunately, I was among the last group of girls who graduated from school after their return. Soon after, girls were banned from taking the university entrance exam. I remember the pain of watching boys walk freely toward their future while I stayed home, unsure if I would ever sit in a classroom again.

But I did not give up. I did not let the darkness steal my light and started to find new ways to grow. Even though I was young, I started working for the girls of my country. I joined the Education Light Program, which was supported by an American woman. In this program, I taught English to girls and women who did not have basic knowledge of the language. My colleagues and I organised seminars and book-reading programs, even in our homes, which was a big risk for us.

This shows that Afghan girls and women will never give up on learning because education is not only a right but also a tool for survival. I believe education is not just about reading and writing. For me, education means freedom, growth, and learning how to decide, think, and build a brighter future.

It is a reality that when a society deprives half of its population of education, it loses half of its strength and capacity to develop. But when a girl becomes educated, society becomes stronger. An educated girl becomes an aware mother who can raise a better generation. In recent years, Afghan girls have suffered a lot but have shown incredible bravery. They have even stood against the Taliban and demanded their rights, but their voices have always been silenced. Yet, they continue to fight for their rights.

We need the support of our families, our society, our government, and even the global community. I want families to raise their voices for the rights of their daughters. People must try to stop gender inequality in Afghanistan.

Today, I am not just an Afghan student in a foreign land who left her country after many struggles; I am someone who tries to raise her voice for those Afghan girls who have been silenced. I am studying in my favorite field, International Relations, at one of the top universities in Pakistan (QAU). But my dreams are not just for myself. I hope for a day when all the girls of my country will be able to reach their dreams.

I ask the international community not to leave Afghan girls alone. The world should hear us now and raise its voices for us. I hope with all my heart for a day when no girl in Afghanistan has to fight for an education. I hope for a day when girls can live without fear and discrimination. Girls like me will not be silenced. We will keep going, not just for ourselves, but for every girl still waiting for her rights.