Fahima Noori had big dreams when she graduated from university in Afghanistan. She had studied law, graduated from a midwifery programme, and even worked in a mental health clinic. However, her aspirations were shattered when the Taliban took power in 2021, restricting educational opportunities for women.
The internet had become her lifeline, allowing her to enroll in online courses and seek jobs. But when the Taliban announced a nationwide internet blackout, Fahima's hope for the future became extinguished. Our last hope was online learning. Now even that dream has been destroyed, she lamented.
The government began cutting fiber-optic connections across several provinces, citing an aim to prevent immorality, leading many to fear a total internet shutdown. On Tuesday, those fears materialized when the country experienced a total internet blackout, restricting essential services and communication amid a growing sense of despair.
Shakiba, another aspiring student, expressed her dismay: When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me. Without access to online education, many women, including Fahima and her sisters, find themselves trapped at home, unable to pursue their dreams.
The impact of this blackout extends beyond students; teachers like Zabi, who had turned to online education to sustain their livelihood, are equally devastated. His classes catered to both male and female students, but now the girls have lost their last educational opportunity.
Many families share similar concerns. Anas, a money changer in Takhar, voiced distress for his daughters who no longer have access to online classes, fearing for their futures. The prevailing sentiment among families is one of helplessness as their children, particularly daughters, face an uncertain future with limited prospects for education, economic participation, or personal growth in a rapidly closing society.
As more women and their families navigate this new reality under the Taliban regime, the need for international support and advocacy for women's rights in Afghanistan has never been more critical.
