By Zohra Bensemra

KABUL, (Reuters) – University student Hawa sits at her Kabul window and porers over a book to fill her day and keep her brain active.

As hundreds of thousands of Afghan girls, young women and girls, this 20-year old Russian literature graduate has not been permitted to resume her studies after the Taliban overthrew the government in August.

Like many others, she feels frustrated and angry that her dreams of studying and working are being blocked.

Hawa said that she was not meant to be at home. She told Reuters from her Afghan family house, where she spent her time drawing, reading, and chores.

We can also provide for our families if we are able to nurture them. This situation is not conducive to my dream of achieving them.

(Open https://reut.rs/3nPWv0a in an external browser to see a picture package on Afghan women and girls unable to study)

Following the ousting of the Western-backed government in May, the Taliban, a hardline Islamist movement, stormed into power. They have allowed both boys and girls to return to class but not girls to secondary school.

Most public universities don’t function or are only partially functional.

Afghans and donors have been assured by officials that all rights are being respected. They include allowing girls to enter school and for women to learn and work, provided details of how this is done in compliance with Islamic law.

They have also blamed https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/we-are-not-deleting-them-afghanistans-taliban-promise-progress-girls-schooling-2021-11-02 the international community for cutting off aid, making it harder to fund the reopening of schools and universities for all.

Three months after their last rule ended, this hasn’t happened. Some are skeptical about a group which, from 1996 to 2001, prohibited all women from being employed and banned girls from attending school.

DREAMS ON HOLD

According to most recent figures by UNESCO, less than 40% of Afghan girls went to secondary school in 2018.

Many of the people of this country are still deeply conservative despite twenty years of Western-backed government and billions in aid to promote equality and civil rights.

In urban areas, women in particular have had greater freedoms in 2001 and are reluctantly leaving.

Hawa stated that those of us who attended university, and had also worked, helped our families. However, nothing would come from us because the Taliban (the Taliban), claim that everything we have learned in the past 20 years has been useless.

Sahar, 17, is still at home in town. Although she wants to be an engineer someday, her current goal is to stay at home and learn as much as possible.

While I’m trying to learn my lessons from home, the atmosphere at school, with our teachers, classmates, and friends is different than being home.

She proudly showed Reuters her classroom – a school administrator allowed Sahar into the building that day.

As she looked around, her eyes widened and she stated, “I would love for you to return to your class to resume your studies and be with your classmates and teachers.”

Sahar is there to help her younger sister and brother with homework after they have returned from school.

They… go home to do homework and talk about their classes and classmates. “But I’m sad inside because I can’t go to school.”

Hadia (10 years old) noticed some of her classmates and teachers are gone. She believes they may have been among the thousands fleeing Kabul during the chaos that followed Taliban conquest.

She is aware of the challenges ahead, even at an older age.

I’m currently in 4th grade. Hadia stated, “I would like to be a doctor but I don’t have the right to finish my studies as my sister. I won’t achieve my dreams.” That already worries me.

Mike Collett White (Writing and Editing)