‘Afghan women are very talented; if they find an opportunity, they will use it very well’
An Afghan woman, an aspiring doctor narrates the challenges girls and women are facing due to school closures and restrictions and her hopes of a ‘free country’
By Arezo* as told to Samuel Hall team
This first-person narrative is a part of our ‘Everyday Women Leaders Series’ which highlights everyday women leaders, their stories, and their hopes. This is the third story of our series. Read the others here.
‘I
dream of being a doctor.
I studied from Grade 1 to Grade 12, but I struggled to finish University. My father is a fruit vendor, and my brother is younger, so we could not pay the fee. I took on tailoring and beauty work to make some extra money and put myself through dental school — fighting off my father’s concerns about me walking to University alone, as we could not afford a rickshaw every day.
I finished my studies. However, I am not done yet. I want to study further. But I can’t.
With the previous government, we could help our father financially, but now women are neither allowed to work nor study.
We spent a few years in Pakistan when I was younger. When we came back to Afghanistan, we were happy. Here, we could live freely in our own country, unlike thieves in Peshawar. But soon, the situation took a turn for the worse.
Previously the schools had separate timings for girls and boys — but now they have shut schools completely for girls above Grade 6.
We ask that there should be no discrimination between boys and girls. Girls have done nothing wrong, and the prophet himself has said that learning is mandatory for both men and women. If girls are not given the same rights, it will create problems in Afghanistan.
Education is the key to success; without it, a country will face poverty and hunger. If school doors are closed, then jail doors will be opened, and if school doors are opened, then jails doors will be closed.
Without school and knowledge, everyone will be at home without any job, and they will try to do bad work like robbery and kidnapping. The children ask for food, and since there are no jobs, the father would rob or kidnap someone’s kid.
Many women and girls are facing mental health problems because schools are banned. They used to go to schools and learn something from their teachers regularly, read books, and meet others. Now, what will they do?
They can’t even go out for a walk because people will say many things about them. Most women are at home and have no place to walk. Many women have high-level diabetes. Previously they could walk and perform some sports activities, but now there is nothing for them.
In the previous government, women used to tailor and work on chicken and cow farms. As a result, they could profit and contribute to the country’s economy.
Now we are facing widespread poverty. Poverty is a critical problem. Our neighbours have not had anything to eat for many days. Prices for oil and bread have increased. As a result, people are sending their children to work in other countries.
Earlier, connections among people were good, and they used to love each other. People used to give presents at weddings and births. They had money to go to picnics. Just going out on Friday with the family helped to get rid of some problems. Now even when someone invites others to an event, due to the poor economy, they can’t go. This poverty and hunger have decreased the love between people.
Park days were separate for women, men, and children; people had money and were happy. So they used to go to parks, eat and hang out happily and with love.
Previously there was a government and a president, and Afghanistan had a destiny. Now there is no government and president.
I hope for full peace in Afghanistan, where the president is known and identified. With peace, everything will improve, and everyone will be saved from poverty. Women and young adults will be spared from begging, and those kids doing hard jobs will be saved.
My dream is to finish University and get a job somewhere. I want to study stomatology and become a doctor. This is my whole life’s wish, and I will be very happy if I get it. All girls have such desires. If they finish school, they wish to study at University, and if they finish University, they wish to pursue their doctorate.
If we study, we can help our society. If we don’t allow our society to develop, then who will? If women don’t study, then how can they help their societies? There is a need for female doctors; if they don’t allow girls to study, then where will the female doctor come from? Many are dying because of these reasons.
If I study, I can serve my community and people. If our country develops, why would we go to Pakistan and India? If everyone studies from the cradle to the grave, we will not need to go anywhere. Girls would become Hafiz (Quran Memorizer), doctors, engineers, journalists, and will work in many other professions. We will never have to go to foreign countries if our own country is developed. We will stay in our beautiful and free Afghanistan, where we can walk freely.
“Afghan women are very talented; if they find an opportunity, they will use it very well”
We have asked many times for the opening of the girls’ schools. Previously when there was such a situation, everyone would gather, and the government accepted whatever the residents wanted. However, now the current government does not accept it and says they are discussing the issue. They have not finished their discussion in two years, and schools have been closed for two years. One year was lost in the Covid-19 pandemic, and the current government destroyed two years, so we cannot say anything, and if we do, there will be no benefit from that.
They don’t want Afghanistan to improve; if they wanted to, why would they close the schools for the last two years? They could allow schools and make an acceptable government that included everyone if they wanted. If this government will enable women to study and give them their rights, and if the country moves toward development, then this too will be a good government.
We want the international community to help us financially and help Afghanistan to make a government that will include everyone. We want other countries to help us financially and think about afghans. We want them to bring us peace.
We want the organisations to provide vocational training such as tailoring, beauty work, as well as alternative solutions to education.
We should have jobs as we did before, and women should receive their rights. If the current situation continues like this, we will lose all the developments in the last 20 years.
*Name has been changed to protect identity
The interview has been edited only for the purpose of brevity and clarity.
