Once a Land of Scholars, Now a Land Without Girls in School

Khkola Niazi also contributed to this article.

Picture yourself in a world where education is the doorway to your dreams. Now, for a few seconds, imagine that door being closed because you are a woman. It’s not fiction, it’s reality. Let’s put ourselves in the shoes and experiences of those who live in Afghanistan, and imagine what our lives could have been. It is called empathy.

Afghanistan is often described as a nation of conflict, but this is far from the truth; it was a nation known for its ancient civilization, poetry, architecture, and deep respect for knowledge. Afghan families, whether in cities or villages, valued education as an important responsibility. Parents worked harder so that their sons and daughters could study, learn, and build a better future. For generations, education was not a privilege; it was a cultural commitment.

The Taliban is an ideological and religious group that uses its power in the wrong way. They amend strict rules based on their own ideas rather than true faith. One of these rules stops girls from going to school and denies them rights. The Taliban’s actions go against Islam, using religion in an unethical way, which is unacceptable. They twist religion to keep women quiet and take away their fundamental rights.

Their bans on girls’ education are not representative of Islam. Islam begins with the call اقرأ–– “Iqra”.

One explanation is that women and men alike seek knowledge. According to respected Islamic scholars and the Quran itself, looking for knowledge is a duty for all humans, regardless of gender. 

In our own family, we see this story clearly. Our aunts, born during the first Taliban regime, were never allowed to go to school. They grew up behind closed doors with school out of the picture, not because they lacked intelligence or a motive, but because of the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education. 

After the Taliban fell and the government changed in the 2000s, the new generation had hope. Our younger aunts started school. They studied, learned, and became educated; proof that Afghan women can shine when given a chance. But today, in 2025, that chance is now near impossible to see through. 

In 2021, when the Taliban, also a group of terrorists, entered Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, people were horrified; there was no one in the streets of Kabul because this had previously happened 33 years ago. At the time, our mother, Adela, was still a teenager and witnessed it firsthand. She described that before the Taliban came, she was still in school, but once they came, she was suddenly banned from going to attending. 

When she was a teenager, she had dreamed of going to school, having top grades, and “having a great future,” but once the Taliban was in power, she gave up on her dreams, the dearest things to her.

“I am a woman who couldn’t get her rights, but one thing I want to say is that I want my daughters to fulfil the dreams that I couldn’t complete. Now I am here as an Afghan mother trying to educate her daughters, that’s why I chose Massachusetts to be our next and last destination.” 

According to the U.S. News, Massachusetts has the fifth-highest ranking for education in the whole country. History teacher Kurtis Scheer shared how, as a historian, he connected that “when you think about education, you inherently think about rights.”

As stated in Wikipedia’s “Timeline of women’s education,” Afghan parents started to educate their daughters in the first school for girls in 1920, and sent women abroad for education.

A greatly revered woman in history, “روشنک” also known as Roxana, was from Bactria (modern-day Afghanistan) and is the daughter of a well-known historical figure named Oxyartes. She was also known for being the wife of Alexander the Great. Her education included language skills in old Persian/Dari, skills in diplomacy, and training in arts like poetry, music and dance. In the history of Afghanistan, there have been many more educated women like Roxana. Still, with the Taliban returning to Afghanistan, this has led to the banning of girls from universities and high schools, of many hopeless girls who, like Roxana, had dreams of graduating and helping their country. 

Junior Jana Wanas shared, “If I weren’t allowed to go to school because I was a girl, this would completely affect my future and how I stand in society, in a way that I can’t even describe. It would definitely devalue my worth because I wouldn’t be able to be as smart or knowledgeable as a man, which is absolutely ridiculous.” She continued, “Not having excess education would limit my abilities in life, and my ambitions would be taken away because no matter how hard I would want to achieve, a man will always have it easier, regardless of whether they take education seriously or not.”

Current Situations 

The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan is serious. According to UNESCO, since September 2021, all girls older than the age of 12 have been prohibited from school. Approximately 1.1 million Afghan girls do not have the right to education. Close to 30% of girls in Afghanistan never even entered primary education. 

In December of 2022, university education for women was banned, affecting over 100,000 female students attending private and public universities. Between 2001 and 2018, girls’ education increased by 20 times, but the situation changed after 13 years. Before the ban on education, one out of three girls and women had attended a university. 

Our grandmother shared how my sister and I are lucky and that she is grateful that we have opportunities. “I believe you will achieve your goals and dreams. I pray for you all the time,” she expressed. She mentioned how girls from our neighbourhood, our childhood friends, Lena and Marwa, do not have access to any positive activities. A few of them got married, already have children, and are unable to experience their childhood and teenage years. 

Across Afghanistan, millions of girls in remote provinces have different stories and problems. Their stories are not the same, but their lack of opportunities and hardships are.

Junior Laurene Pierre-Louis-Pierre believes, “If I were a girl living in Afghanistan today, I would feel very limited. Since girls are denied access to education due to their gender, there would be very little access to what I would need to pursue a career of my own choice. Having no control over your own rights is dehumanizing, and what is happening in Afghanistan today must change.’’

Many schools for girls under 12 lack necessities such as clean water, heating, school supplies, female teachers, and more. Geographical barriers like mountainous terrain make it harder for children to attend schools, especially in rural areas. These issues persist in negatively impacting females of all generations. 

Social Studies teacher Richard Tivnan stated that “outside pressure can influence countries when they’re doing certain things, like the Taliban.” As an experienced teacher, Tivnan highlighted education as a universal right: “We need to allow everybody. We should do everything we can to educate everybody. The more educated we are as a society, the better we’re going to be.”

Support: What Could be Done?

Every one of us should continue to advocate for the right of girls around the world to receive an education because this is a basic human right, and nobody should be left behind. 

“Women in Afghanistan definitely will have the same hopes and dreams that everyone else does in the entire world,’’ added Scheer.

Solutions exist, and nothing is impossible. One community alone cannot change this unbelievable situation; it requires the defense and action of the entire world. It is a humanitarian challenge that touches all of us. If the world stands together, we can create a future where generations grow up with ambition, dreams, and hopes. 

Education, economic opportunity, and global solidarity are the keys to unlocking their potential. History teacher Courtney Braz concluded that “making people outside the country aware of what is happening there is an important thing to do. It is a real issue that exists outside of our country.” She continued, “Just to make sure that people know how lucky we are here to have free and equal education. I think awareness is the first step.”

This year, articles and reports such as (April 2025)  “Empowering Afghan Women and Children as leaders of change” have reminded us that Afghan children and women must be seen not only as victims of crisis, but as leaders of change. This article mentioned they should be empowered through steps such as:

1. Education Access: Education is the foundation of leadership. Afghan girls must be given opportunities to learn, whether through remote platforms, community schools, or international support.
2. Economic empowerment: women-led small businesses should be supported. 
3. Global Advocacy: international organizations and governments must be pressured to defend women’s rights. Silence is weakness, advocacy is solidarity. Global voices can change struggles.
4. Humanitarian Aid: Aid such as food, healthcare, and other human needs. 
5. Amplify voices: Afghan women’s stories must be heard. Sharing their voices globally to make sure that they are not erased from the history of education or decision-making.

We strongly believe and hope that by following those points and taking real action, the world can turn this dark chapter of bans and negativity into a historic moment of positive change, uncovering the real issues and giving Afghan girls the future they deserve.

About the Author

Safa Niazi

Author

Safa Niazi is a junior at Malden High School, graduating with the Class of 2027. Originally from Afghanistan, she and her family left due to the challenges Afghan girls face in getting an education. Safa’s journey took her from Afghanistan to Turkey in 2021, then to France in 2023, before finally arriving in the United States, where she now continues her education. Safa speaks four languages: Turkish, Persian (Farsi), Pashto, and English. She has a strong interest in history, law, politics, and human rights, and dreams of becoming a human rights lawyer to stand up for Afghan women, immigrants, and refugees.Immigration is something she is deeply focused on because of her personal experiences in different countries and the challenges she has faced. This is why she wants to advocate for refugees, whose suffering is an unrecoverable pain in human life. Back home in Afghanistan, Safa started her own small organization with 15 students, offering private education and helping them with school supplies. She also helps with her family business and enjoys exploring her passions outside of school. Safa loves traveling, learning about different cultures, and experiencing life in new countries. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, poetry, deep historical conversations, walking outdoors, and spending time with her family. Safa’s resilience, gratitude, passion for learning, and leadership continue to inspire those around her.

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