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With so much human suffering around the world , it is easy to lose sight of Afghanistan . After all , the situation is complex and there are no easy answers . But Afghanistan is not a lost cause as many would dismiss it . Rather , in a world that is increasingly dominated by misogynistic ideologies that seek to silence women , Afghanistan is one of the most important battlegrounds for us to continue to fight and not walk away .
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A POLICY EXPERT WEIGHS IN
CAI sits down with M . Idrees Ghairat , Professional Specialist at the Afghanistan Policy Lab at Princeton University ’ s School of Public and International Affairs
The Taliban ’ s decision to ban females from secondary schools and universities has forced an estimated 1.5 million Afghan women and girls from school and had profound psycho-social impacts on their wellbeing . The Afghanistan Policy Lab at Princeton University ’ s School of Public and International Affairs i monitors the Taliban ’ s policies , delivers recommendations to governments and policy makers , and provides a platform for Afghan women to give input . The Lab also collects stories of Afghan teenage girls who have been banned from school . While heartbreaking , these stories reveal their courage , struggle , and resilience .
Aisha and Marwa ii are two Afghan girls who took the risk of pretending to be boys to attend an English language course . Recalling the first day when they went for registration , they said , “ We were scared , but we went to the school office and registered under the names of Ahmad and Mahmood . And we were seated in the boys ’ class ."
In another story , Toba , who was teaching English at a language center , is now forced to stay home . But she and others like her have not given up . Using her smartphone , a laptop , and the Internet , she pursues learning online . “ The only thing that encourages us to continue this struggle is the existence of these phones and computers and the Internet . If this space were not there , absolute darkness would rule in our lives ,” she said .
Muhammad Idrees Ghairat , Professional Specialist at the Lab explains that , “ So far , engagements with the Taliban by the international community have not proved fruitful . Although a few Muslim scholars condemned the Taliban ’ s policies and have spoken out against the inhumane treatment of girls and women by the Taliban , these efforts have not been impactful .” He added that more work needs to be done , “ There are a couple of ways Afghans together with the international community can work to continue the learning process to whatever extent they can , including supporting in-person and online education platforms for Afghan girls and women .” In addition to continued pressure by the international community , he sees an important role for religious leaders in Pakistan as well as Islamic scholars from the Middle East , particularly Qatar and Saudi Arabia , in influencing the Taliban to convince them of the importance of women ’ s education in Islam and provide examples of the role of educated girls and women in an Islamic Society . He believes that given the risks that women face , men should lead the debates and protests within the country to challenge the Taliban ’ s restrictive views on girls ’ and women ' s rights . “ There is no other alternative but to convince the Taliban to lift the ban on girls ' education ,” Ghairat insists .
He concludes , “ An educated mother helps build an educated family , which leads to an educated society . With education , the economic situation of the household improves , leading to better living standards . Every step matters , and every initiative makes a difference . It is crucial that individuals worldwide support the education platforms to keep the learning process alive for Afghan girls .”
i https :// spia . princeton . edu / spia-afghanistan-policy-lab ii
The subjects ’ names have been changed to protect their identities .
2024-2025 JOURNEY OF HOPE | 5