While the Taliban celebrate August 15, the anniversary of their return to power, as "Independence Day" through colorful ceremonies and flag parades, working children, school students, and employees of Taliban offices share shocking accounts from the western cities of the country.

August 15 was not only the day our country surrendered to a terrorist group and our system collapsed, it was also the dark day when the dreams of millions of girls and women in Afghanistan were destroyed. It was the day the system fell, oppression and violence spread everywhere, and our country turned into a house of horror. Those whose hands were stained with the blood of thousands of innocents and who had no trace of humanity came to power.

August 15, 2021 was not just the fall of Kabul; it was the day the hope and future of a nation were shattered. With Ashraf Ghani’s escape and the collapse of the Republic, the streets of Kabul were emptied of the sound of freedom, and the white flag of the Taliban was raised over a city that had once been a symbol of the struggle for human rights, democracy, and gender equality.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, expressing deep concern over the state of education in Afghanistan, has called on the international community to intensify diplomatic pressure on the Taliban and to relentlessly demand the reopening of schools and universities for women and girls.