From the Closure of the Gates of Medical Science Institutes to the Forced Marriages of Student Girls in Afghanistan
From the Closure of the Gates of Medical Science Institutes to the Forced Marriages of Student Girls in Afghanistan

With the recent closure of medical science institutes by the Taliban in Afghanistan, several female students in Kabul have described the closure of these institutions nationwide as oppressive and unjust.

Fatima, a student who was also deprived of her education and social activities three years ago with the return of the Taliban, expressed to a reporter from the Afghan Women’s News Agency: “The last bastion of hope for me was my education in midwifery, which the Taliban group has once again transformed into despair; the group barred me and my peers from pursuing our studies and has condemned us to lifelong confinement within our homes.”

“Three years ago, I was pursuing my studies in law and political science at Kateb University, until the Taliban seized control of the country, depriving me of my education. I spent a year confined within the walls of my home, grappling with numerous challenges including psychological distress, insomnia, anxiety, and gastrointestinal issues. Last year, driven not by passion but by a sense of aimlessness, I enrolled in one of the medical science institutes in Kabul, hoping to alleviate my mental turmoil and occupy my mind. However, before I could graduate from this institute, I once again received word from the Taliban about the closure of educational institutions. Just as three years ago, I found myself confined at home once more, facing a multitude of difficulties.”

Additionally, Samira, a 24-year-old young woman who, like Fatima, has been deprived of her education, expresses: “It has been two weeks since the gates of medical science institutes were shut. My father, without my consent, has arranged my marriage. This Thursday marks the occasion of my engagement. Due to our impoverished circumstances, he insists that I must wed, stating that there are no avenues for progress for girls or prospects for the future in this country. This is the only path left for me. However, it weighs heavily on my heart that, with the closure of educational institutions, my pursuit of knowledge, my education, and my future in poverty are being sacrificed, leaving me feeling helpless to change my situation.”

Not only Fatima and Samira, but thousands of girls in Afghanistan have fallen victim to the oppressive and tyrannical policies of the Taliban, enduring a multitude of hardships within the confines of their homes. They confront daily challenges including domestic violence, forced marriages, poverty, unemployment, suicide, and despair.

  • منبع خبر : Afghan women news agency