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Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty International Women's Solidarity Day and the Dire Situation of 20 Million Women Under Taliban Rule Women in different countries around the world are heading towards celebrating and honoring March 8, International Women's Day, while for over three years, the Taliban, through their inhumane decrees, have stripped the basic and human rights of more than twenty million women and girls in Afghanistan, chaining their individual freedoms. On the occasion of this day, women and girls deprived of their rights in Afghanistan say that not only have the Taliban deprived them of basic rights such as education, employment, and even their choice of clothing, but these decrees have also had a direct impact on family policies, to the extent that many women and girls have been rejected by their families due to these prohibitions and the Taliban's harsh orders. Mah Sheren, a 17-year-old victim of forced marriage and a survivor of education, whose face reflects the bitterness and failure of life. While weaving carpets in a corner of Herat city, she says that due to the closure of school doors and being confined at home while suffering from depression and mental illness, her family, without consulting her, married her off to an elderly man with a 20-year age difference. Mah Sheren describes the bitter and difficult life she has lived, and her failure in married life, in this way: "I studied until the seventh grade when the Taliban closed the school gates. I went home, and every day started with me crying. My situation was very bad. About eight months passed since then when I heard my mother saying, Get ready, people are coming for your engagement party. I said, Me? Has someone come to our house for a proposal to hold a gathering? She said, My daughter, your father has given you to a husband." As she weaves the colorful threads of the carpet, with eyes full of tears, she speaks more about her dark and unfortunate life: "Although I was not happy with this marriage, my father and mother forced me to marry. One year after my wedding, the hardships caused my husband to divorce me. I currently have a child, and I can't even earn enough money for his milk powder. I am confused whether to work to feed myself or buy milk powder for my child." Kobra Hashemi, another 21-year-old girl, whose family forced her into marriage due to the closure of educational and work opportunities for women, speaks with a trembling, tearful voice about her situation: "Since the doors of education and learning were closed to girls, it is not only the world that has abandoned us, and it is not just the Taliban who oppresses us, but our own parents are also wronging us. They forced me to marry. They say it's better to marry and build your life than to stay at home and fall into depression." Hashemi continues her speech and says with a sarcastic tone: "Isn't it interesting, the Taliban consider themselves more Muslim than the Muslims of the world, yet because I am a girl, I am not even allowed to make decisions for my own future, to decide with whom I will live under one roof for the coming years. You know what the problem is? It’s that my parents seem to be like the Taliban, because they live under the shadow of their power." Alongside the wave of Taliban political restrictions and violence against women, domestic violence has become a serious concern for women and girls in Afghanistan. Despite more than three years under Taliban rule, this violence has increased. Women's rights activists say that while the Taliban, with their inhumane decrees, are attempting to use women as a tool to gain international recognition and secure billions of dollars in aid from global countries, many families in Afghanistan are influenced by these decrees and are resorting to violence against women. Najla Farid, a women's rights activist, says in an interview with Zan TV: "The Taliban are attempting to exploit Afghan women for political gain. Every time the world’s countries decide to discuss Afghanistan, the Taliban issue a new decree to let the world know that if they are not recognized, their decrees will only increase. Now, the Taliban remain in power, and many parents have become like the Taliban in these three years, forcing their daughters into marriage, beating them, and treating them with violence." On the other hand, women's rights and human rights activists, on the occasion of March 8, are calling on international human rights organizations to pay attention to the situation of women under the shadow of the Taliban. Frishta Sakha, another women's rights activist, says: "Our demand is that the world and human rights organizations open their eyes to the women of Afghanistan and see the conditions that women and girls are facing. Our demand is to free women from the Taliban's restrictions." This comes at a time when many human rights organizations and countries around the world have described the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban's rule as dire and concerning. However, no action has yet been taken by these organizations to free women and girls from the harsh restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

Photo: EU/ECHO Pierre Prakash via Flickr Residents of Ghor province, who lost their homes and livelihoods due to heavy rainfall and flooding in the first months of the current solar year, are on one hand concerned about the lack of shelter and heating facilities for the winter season, and on the other hand, they complain about the unfair distribution of humanitarian aid under the Taliban's supervision. Fariba, a 43-year-old mother of eight, spends the cold winter nights—when the temperature in this province occasionally drops to minus twenty degrees Celsius—in an old tent without any heating facilities. In an interview with Zan News, she says: "Look at what kind of life we are living, full of misery and hardship. Rain and snow pour through the top of the tent, and the bottom is damp and muddy. We live in these conditions, yet when aid arrives, it doesn’t reach the poor and strangers. The Mullahs [Taliban] give it to their relatives and friends. May God provide for us." Gul Bibi, another flood victim from the Balamarghab district of this province, who is responsible for five children, complains about the unfair distribution of humanitarian aid under the Taliban's supervision. She says that despite being deprived of her rights by the Taliban, she cannot raise her voice to complain because she is a woman. "Because I am a woman, and a widow at that, they take away my rights. A while ago, the Taliban came and inspected everyone's houses. They gave houses to some people they knew, but we are still left out in the cold. I can't even complain because I am a widow woman." On the other hand, a number of women's rights activists in Afghanistan have expressed concern over the cold winter weather and the lack of access to humanitarian aid for flood victims, especially women. Sohaila Mobasher, a women's rights activist, says: "It is true that flood victims are facing a shortage of resources, but women who are the breadwinners of their families must be prioritized because the cold weather and lack of food have put this group at risk of death." This comes as some aid organizations have halted their operations in Afghanistan due to the Taliban's interference in their work and the distribution of humanitarian aid. It is worth noting that the Norwegian Refugee Council recently announced the suspension of its humanitarian activities in 20 countries, including Afghanistan.

Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP Women without guardians and breadwinners in the western region of the country, complaining about the prohibition of work for women by the Taliban, say that according to this command from the Taliban's leader, not only have they lost their jobs, but they have also been forced to sell their dignity and honor cheaply. Some women in the western provinces of the country say that on one hand they are facing severe economic problems, and on the other, according to the Taliban leader's command, they are not allowed to work outside the home, which has driven them to beg on the streets and roads. Sufia, a widow who has wrapped herself in a blue burqa, says that the compulsion of fate, along with the Taliban’s prohibition on women’s work, has forced her to extend her begging hand to people on the streets of Herat from dawn till dusk. "My children's stomachs are hungry; I have to beg; my husband had cancer and passed away; I used to work at an institute, but the Taliban said that women, without a mahram, are not allowed to leave the house for work; I became unemployed and sold everything I had—nothing remains for me except begging." Nadia Shahir, another woman without a guardian residing in Farah province, has complained about the prohibition of work for women and says: "I am a widow; my father was elderly and passed away, and my brothers also barely make a living—so how am I supposed to get a mahram for myself? How can I cover the expenses of my six young children? During the republic era, I worked in this very Safa command, but the Taliban kicked me out." Bibi Hoor, another one of these women who begs in the Pul - Pashtun area of Herat province, says that she previously worked as a cook at an institution; however, with the issuance of the Taliban's decree prohibiting women's work, she lost her job. By raising this question, she calls the Taliban's laws un-Islamic and inhumane: "The Taliban have prohibited work for us, so why do they allow begging and consider it permissible? Do I beg inside my own house? If I go out begging, there's no problem, but when I go out for honorable work, it is forbidden for me." On the other hand, women's rights activists are calling on international organizations and the Taliban government to remove the restrictions imposed on women's work and activities. Fazelah Nadim, one of the women's rights activists, says: "It is necessary for the world to focus on the issue of Afghan women, and the Taliban must review their imposed laws, especially regarding human rights and women's rights, because today life has really turned into a cage and prison for women and girls." It should be noted that after seizing power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have banned work, education, for women and girls.

photo: washingtonpost World Cancer Day is observed annually on February 4th in most countries around the world, including Afghanistan. However, health officials in the western region of the country expressed concern during a ceremony commemorating this day, stating that the number of people affected by cancer has increased by more than 30% compared to the previous year. Rahmatullah Barakzai, one of the doctors in the cancer department at the Herat Regional Hospital, says that 50 to 60 cancer patients visit this hospital daily, of whom approximately 30 to 35 are admitted for treatment. He says, "Last year, around 10 people would visit this department, but currently, 30 to 35 people suffering from cancer are admitted to this department daily. Cancer is truly on the rise. This year, more than 5,000 cancer patients have been registered at this hospital." On the other hand, a number of women suffering from cancer complain about the poor economic situation, lack of attention in government hospitals, and the absence of facilities for their treatment and care. Shazia, a resident of Ghor Province who has been suffering from breast cancer for over three years, told Zan TV: "It is truly a difficult disease. Three years ago, one of my breasts was in pain, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. Gradually, the increasing pain forced me to go to hospitals. The doctors would give me painkillers, but eventually, I lost my appetite and couldn’t eat. I went to Pakistan, where they told me I had cancer. Now, I neither have the money for treatment nor do the hospitals here provide any help to me." Shima, another woman suffering from cancer and a resident of Badghis Province, says: "I have been suffering from blood cancer since I was a child. When my blood levels drop, it becomes very difficult for me. I can’t do anything. My father doesn’t have the money to take me to other countries for treatment. Even when we come here, they don’t provide us with blood, let alone medicine or treatment." Meanwhile, cancer patients are calling on the Taliban government to provide the necessary medicine and facilities for their treatment within the country. Parisa, a 34-year-old woman admitted to the Herat Regional Hospital, says: "Our request is that we receive more help because this disease has no cure, but they should provide us with medicine or something to at least reduce the pain. The government should serve the people, not just think about filling its own pockets and leaving the poor and sick in a corner." World Cancer Day is being observed in Herat Province at a time when, according to information provided by health officials, over the past six years, 23,928 cancer patients have been registered in hospitals in the western region of the country, particularly in Herat Province.

Photo: AP/Bram Janssen Women and girls in remote areas of Herat province have complained about the lack of access to healthcare services, stating that the absence of doctors and the distance from health centers have led to the death of many patients, particularly pregnant women during childbirth. These women have emphasized the need for the establishment of healthcare centers and have called on the Taliban's Directorate of Public Health in the province to take serious action in setting up health centers to save the lives of women and girls in remote areas of this province. Ozra, a 67-year-old elderly woman from the Farsi district of Herat province, sits in a corner of a tent and says that due to the lack of healthcare centers and midwives, most pregnant women experience horrific and abnormal childbirths. She told Zan TV: "Pregnant women here live in fear before childbirth, afraid they might die because we have no doctors or clinics. Six months ago, my daughter-in-law died during childbirth. We were poor and couldn’t afford to take her to the city. She gave birth at home, and in the end, both she and her baby died." Nazanin, a 19-year-old who has been married for a year, pleads with the Taliban to establish a healthcare center in her area to save her life and the life of the child she is carrying. She says, "Every morning when I wake up, I thank God that I didn’t go into labor during the night. I am terrified that if my baby is born at night, either I will die or my baby will. We don’t have a vehicle to take me to the hospital in Herat city. As you can see in this village, there are no doctors or medicine. I urge the government to build a clinic for us." Meanwhile, Kubra, a resident of Chesht district in Herat province, who ill and lies bedridden in a corner of her home, Complaining about the remoteness of the district's health center, she says that on one hand, economic difficulties have prevented her from going to private hospitals, and on the other hand, she has no access to free health centers. "It's been two weeks that my whole body has been in pain. At first, I had a headache, but now my entire body hurts. I didn’t have money to go to a doctor because the cost of the doctor and medicine is too high. There is no clinic in the village to give me free medicine either." Women in remote areas of Herat province complain about the lack of access to healthcare services and the absence of midwives in their regions. This comes as the Taliban, in December of this year, banned girls from attending medical institutes—a restriction that has sparked strong reactions from national and international organizations.

Photo: ATIF ARYAN | AFP via Getty Images Women Hairdressers: The Taliban Even Envied the Bread on Our Table Thousands of women and girls who earned a living through hairdressing during the twenty years of the Republic system say they are now facing a chaotic economic and psychological situation. These women hairdressers say that Mullah Hibatullah (the absent leader of the Taliban) has not only emptied their tables of bread by issuing the decree to ban women's hairdressing activities in Afghanistan, but has also forced many of them to leave the country. Salma Faizi, who had a beauty salon in a corner of Pul-e-Surkh in Kabul, says that six months after the issuance of the Taliban leader's decree, she was forced to seek refuge in Iran to support her five orphaned children. "The Taliban even envied the bread on our table because I was a woman and earned my living this way for my children. When my salon was shut down, I sold the items I had at home for six months and used the money to support my life and my children. I couldn't survive any longer, so I had to come to Iran. But right now, the situation here is worse than in Afghanistan." Bahnaz, another woman hairdresser who is now working in a clothing production workshop in Kerman, Iran, shares the reason for her migration in an interview with Zan TV: "My husband couldn't work because he had lost one of his legs in an accident. We were seven people at home. I didn't become a hairdresser out of happiness. When I saw my children hungry, I entered this profession and learned it. But the Taliban didn't let us earn a living from this way. I was forced to seek refuge with the Iranians. Here, I work for 50,000 Tomans a day, but it's not enough to sustain life." On the other hand, these women hairdressers who are in Iran say that due to economic difficulties and the lack of employment opportunities in that country, they have developed mental health issues. Feroozah, who used to work as a hairdresser in Herat, says: "Right now, our living situation is very bad. My husband was addicted, and I became both the father and mother for my children. But the Taliban took our profession away, and they also took our home. In Iran, there's no work for me. I’m so stressed that I've become mentally ill. I can’t sleep at night, and I suffer from headaches." Meanwhile, some women's rights and human rights activists, concerned about the situation of women hairdressers, are urging the Taliban to lift their restrictions and provide women with opportunities for work and employment again. Adila Jafari, a women's rights activist, says: "These women did not become hairdressers out of happiness; rather, the hungry stomachs of their families forced them to find a way to earn bread. Most of them are widows, orphaned daughters, or women whose husbands are sick or disabled. But the Taliban have wronged them. Our demand is that they allow women to work and engage in activities again so that their problems can be resolved." Women hairdressers, who lost their profession following the Taliban leader's decree on the 25 July, 2023, speak of their economic instability and mental health issues. According to information provided by the Women's Hairdressers Union in Kabul, more than 60,000 women and girls were working as hairdressers in Afghanistan. However, with the issuance of the ban on hairdressing activities, many of these women have migrated to neighboring countries in search of income and to support their families.

Photo: UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani Food Insecurity Has Forced Women in Afghanistan to Sell Their Hair Poverty and desperation in the cold winter season on one hand, and the Taliban's restrictions on women's work and employment on the other, have forced some women and girls in Afghanistan to choose between hunger and beauty. They say that having long hair in Afghanistan makes women and girls appear attractive, confident, and more beautiful. However, the widespread poverty, food insecurity, and difficult economic conditions have forced them to sell this charm and beauty. Ghonchah Gol, a 38-year-old woman and one of the victims of this situation who sold her hair in exchange for dry bread to feed her children, tells Zan TV: "I sold everything valuable in the house that people would buy, there was nothing left for us. Look at my poor children, they are malnourished, I didn’t even have bread to give them for lunch. My poor children kept crying, saying Mother, we are hungry. At 2 p.m., a little child was shouting in the street, calling out I buy dry bread, old iron, wool, and hair. I went outside and asked him, Dear, do you also buy human hair?" As the sorrowful dust settles on Ghonchah Gol’s face and tears flow from her eyes, she continues her story, adding: "The poor child said, Yes, aunt, we also buy hair. I told him, Wait for ten minutes, my child. I went and grabbed the scissors, cried so much. In the end, I said, God forgive me, but I will feed my children. I cut my hair and gave it to the child. I asked, How much will it be? He said, Aunt, it will be 200 Afghanis. I said, Dear, go to the bakery and buy bread with this money for me." Mursal is one of the child laborers in Herat province who carries the responsibility of providing for his widowed mother and four younger sisters on his young shoulders. She says that due to economic problems and the lack of a guardian, not only did her mother sell her own hair, but also Mursal's brown hair. "We had nothing at home, my father is sick, he had surgery a long time ago and he can't work now. My mother goes to the neighbors' houses to work. For a week, the neighbors didn't have any work, so my mother was unemployed. She asked if I would mind if she sold my hair. I felt sorry for both my mother and my hair. First, my mother cut her own hair, then she cut mine." These women say that hair buyers determine the price for them based on the type and thickness of the hair. Shahnaz is another woman who has resorted to selling her hair due to poverty and financial hardship. She says, "Everyone is doing this because of the poor economy. Who likes to be without hair? But now, those who buy hair, if the hair is long and not dyed, they offer a good price, but they buy shorter hair at a very low price." Nevertheless, economic analysts in Afghanistan consider the suspension of aid from humanitarian organizations and the ban on women’s work and employment as one of the reasons for women selling their hair. Sediqa Karimi, an economic expert, says: "The Taliban first imprisoned women. Imprisonment is not only about being in a cell, but the fact that they have been confined to their homes is a prison in itself. However, prison is better; at least prisoners are given bread. But in these women's homes, there is no bread. The Taliban's actions towards women have led humanitarian organizations to halt their aid to Afghanistan. Now, there seems to be no option left for these women except selling their hair, and tomorrow, perhaps, even prostitution may be the only option left for these women without a guardian." This comes at a time when the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has declared the buying and selling of hair and body parts as un-Islamic and forbidden. Additionally, this ministry wrote on its X page on Sunday (January 12) of this year that they have prevented the trafficking of over one hundred kilograms of human hair in Faryab province and have arrested individuals in connection with this matter.

Exclusive The severity of the cold weather in the winter season has led to the booming of secondhand clothing markets in Herat province. Some needy families in Herat province, complaining about their economic difficulties, say that the cost of securing food on one hand and purchasing warm winter clothing on the other is a heavy burden on their weary shoulders. Khadija, a 38-year-old widow with empty pockets and economic struggles, has been drawn to the secondhand market to buy clothes for her six orphaned children from the shops in this marketplace. With a cold and painful sigh, she narrates the bitterness of her life: "I have 4 little girls and 2 boys. I am both their mother and father. There is nothing to eat at home. I am left bewildered, trying to find a piece of bread for my children. Winter has come, and from where should I get new warm clothes? I am forced to buy old coat and hats." With a throat full of sobs, Khadija says that her husband was a soldier in the National Army under the Republic system and was killed in the war with the Taliban. "There was no other way for my husband to work, so he joined the National Army. Eight months into his duty and military training, the news of his martyrdom reached us. He was torn apart. I wish I had died in his place, so my children would have had a father and a breadwinner." Shima is another middle-aged woman who is on hand secondhand clothes. She says that the lack of financial means and job opportunities has deprived her of the ability to buy new winter clothes. "We are poor and destitute people. From morning till evening, I wash clothes in this house and that neighbor's house, doing house cleaning so I can earn enough to manage my own household. My husband is sick and bedridden. I bought jackets and coats for myself and my four children with two hundred and fifty Afghanis. What is the solution?" On the other hand, some doctors in Herat province consider wearing secondhand clothes to be a cause of various diseases. Salmah Haidari, one of the specialist doctors, says: "Old clothes cause many diseases, ranging from allergies to illnesses such as hepatitis, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, and other ailments. We must be very cautious and try to avoid using secondhand and old clothes as much as possible." Nahid Karimi, another doctor, says that needy families should wear secondhand clothes only after disinfecting them. "Firstly, we should try to avoid wearing old clothes, but since poor families need warm clothing, they should first wash the clothes with soap and water, disinfect them, and then place them in the sunlight so that any germs and viruses on the clothes are eliminated." The winter cold and economic poverty have heated up the secondhand market, while OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, states that one-third of Afghanistan's population, approximately 14.8 million people, will need humanitarian aid this year to survive.

Victor J. Blue for The New York Times Although the leaders and representatives of the Taliban government have spoken about justice, equality between men and women, and ensuring women's rights in national and international meetings, nearly 20 strict decrees have been issued by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the secret leader of this group, over the past year. These decrees have directly targeted the rights and lives of Afghan women. According to political analysts, the restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls by the Taliban leader in 2024 not only reflect the misogyny of this group but also reveal the true and unforgettable face of the Taliban's previous regime. The Direct Impact of the Taliban's Decrees on Women and Girls Since seizing power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban, through the issuance of numerous decrees and orders, have not only made life bitter for millions of women and girls but have also deprived them of their fundamental, human, and legal rights. According to a report by the Swedish non-governmental organization "ECAPS" on the Taliban's restrictions, while the group claims that their decrees aim to control social issues, women and girls have been significantly impacted by these laws and directives. Out of the 16 decrees issued by the Taliban leader up to December 2, 2024, two are related to matters of "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" while the other 14 directly target the rights and lives of women. These include restrictions on education, dress codes, access to work and income, mandatory hijab for female students below grade six, the use of smartphones, and other aspects of their lives. However, in the final days of 2024, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, issued three additional restrictive decrees targeting women. These include the prohibition of girls attending private educational centers in Herat, a ban on constructing windows in homes to prevent women from being seen from the neighbors' windows while sitting or standing, and the prohibition of women working in non-governmental organizations. This brings the total number of such decrees in 2024 to 19. This comes at a time when, with the issuance of the decree banning girls from studying in health institutes, Hedar Bar, the Women's Rights Director at Human Rights Watch, has stated that the Taliban, through this ban, is creating conditions for the death of mothers and infants in Afghanistan. She has said: "This does not only mean the destruction of the dreams of those girls who wanted to study and help their community, but it also means that this will lead to the death of women who cannot access healthcare." Islamic Hijab or Mandatory Hijab? Although the Taliban issued a decree on May 7, 2022, stating that women and girls must cover their faces in public and emphasized that failure to comply would result in first a recommendation and then punishment, the Taliban leader did not stop at this decree. On July 23, 2024, he issued another decree making hijab mandatory for female students below grade six in schools and educational centers. Some of the girls affected by this decree, complaining about the strict laws of the Taliban, are calling for the reopening of school doors and the removal of these restrictions. Naziah, an 11-year-old girl who is in the fourth grade at one of the schools, says: "It’s been five or six months now that our teachers have told us not to come to class without wearing a prayer shawl, because the government has said we must wear a black shawl so that people don't see us, as it is considered a sin. But I want to be comfortable, and when I come to class, this shawl feels heavy on my head." Asma, another female student who is learning English at an educational center, says: "We are still children, we are at home without a shawl, and my father doesn't say anything. Why do the Taliban say we must wear a big prayer shawl? Should I focus on my school books, or this big shawl? My request is that I be allowed to come to my course without this shawl, and just in the school clothes I already wear." The Ban on Girls' Education in Medical Institutes: A Factor Contributing to the Humanitarian Crisis Following the decree issued by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, on December 19, 2022, banning girls from studying at public and private universities, the only remaining pathway for education for the girls who had been deprived of their studies in Afghanistan was medical institutes. Thousands of girls across the country, by changing their fields of study, entered 175 medical institutes to pursue their lost hopes. However, on December 13, 2024, the Taliban leader issued another decree, closing the last door to education for girls. Aisha Faizi, who is in the final semester of midwifery at a medical institute in Kandahar province, says that due to intense anxiety, she has attempted suicide several times. She says: "I have tried several times to end my life, but God didn't allow it. I'm really tired, and every day I wait to see what the Taliban will say next, so I can obey their decree as a girl. I wanted to become a midwife and serve the people. The women in our village needed a midwife and a doctor, but the Taliban won't let us serve our people." Fariba, another girl deprived of education who has migrated to Iran due to this ban, says: "I was ready to fight against the Taliban's decrees. I came here to study. The seat of power is always made of wood, and the Taliban must know that these seats are not eternal. Maybe one day the system will change. At least I am showing that I am an Afghan girl, and even though my education is banned, I can beg for education in a neighboring country, but I will not give up on my efforts and will serve my people." The ban on girls' education in medical institutes has sparked strong reactions, including from Robert Dickson, the British Embassy's chargé d'affaires in Afghanistan, who expressed his deep concern on X, writing: "This is another insult to women's right to continue their education and will further restrict Afghan women and children's access to healthcare." The Final Nail to the Door of Girls' Education According to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), following the decree issued by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, banning education for girls above the sixth grade, more than 1.4 million girls across Afghanistan have been deprived of their education since March 22, 2022. However, in the final days of 2024, the leader of the group issued a new decree prohibiting girls from attending educational centers in Herat province. The officials of the Taliban's Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat province, citing the decree of Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada regarding the ban on education for girls above the sixth grade in educational centers, instructed relevant authorities on December 24, 2024, to prevent girls from attending educational centers in Herat province. Some girls, who have been deprived of attending private educational centers in this province, have described this action by the Taliban as driving the final nail into the door of girls' education. They say that with this ban, the last ray of hope has been extinguished in their hearts, but the fire of being confined to their homes has once again been ignited for them. Hiwa, a 22-year-old girl whose face is filled with sadness, speaks with a choked voice full of emotion to Zan TV: "I studied until the third semester at the Faculty of Psychology at Herat University, but with the ban on girls going to university, I sought refuge in an educational center to escape the mental struggles and confinement at home, to learn English and stay away from this situation. But today, they have closed that door on us as well." Shafiqah Shojahi, another girl who is learning a language at an educational center in Herat, complains about the strict laws of the Taliban. She says, "Although the Taliban had previously forced us to wear black veils, now they have also deprived us of the right to attend private educational centers." She says, "Believe me, it was very hard for me to accept wearing the veil, but in order to raise my capacity and level of awareness, I agreed. Right now, I don't know what the authorities of the Emirate want to do with us. I don't know what our sin is. I don't know which door to go to now." The Demand of Women and Girls for the Immediate End of Taliban Restrictions The women and girls of Afghanistan, who are directly affected by the Taliban's orders, are urging the international community and global organizations to intervene as soon as possible to put an end to this issue. Frishta Hamidi, a housebound judge from Herat province, said in an interview with Zan TV: "Look at what the Taliban is doing. The world must view the issue of Taliban's orders from a different perspective. This regime has placed Afghan women and girls under its magnifying glass, and they see nothing else. Therefore, human rights organizations and international bodies must defend the rights of women." Khadija Fazli, another woman who carried a weapon before the Taliban's rise to power and fought to protect her country against this group, says that now her days and nights are spent in fear and trembling. She urges human rights organizations to save the women of Afghanistan from this situation: "The Taliban has adopted a system of governance that aims solely to control women. They are only trying to dictate what women should or shouldn't do. Perhaps in a few days, the absent leader of the Taliban will say that women and girls should be buried alive. Our request is that human rights organizations defend us and see the condition we are in." As 2024 comes to a close, women's rights and human rights organizations have described this year as the peak of the Taliban's decrees on the rights and lives of women in Afghanistan, stating that the Taliban continue to impose laws and restrictions with even greater enthusiasm. Heather Barr, the director of the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch, referring to the grim lives of women and girls under the Taliban's decrees, stated that the group, by continuing its oppressive orders, has made life even more bitter for the women of this country. She added, "It is now evident that the Taliban, with the sense of power and boldness they have gained, are eagerly continuing their path of imposing restrictions on the rights and lives of women." It is worth mentioning that the Taliban government is approaching its fourth anniversary, yet the strict laws imposed by this group have prevented its recognition by countries around the world.

Photo: AFP/Wakil Kohsar Following the Taliban's successive bans on work, education, and schooling for girls and women, the Taliban's Directorate of Education in Herat province, on Tuesday (December 24), hammered the final nail in the door of girls' education by closing the gates of private educational centers to girls. Citing the decree of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, regarding the prohibition of education for girls above the sixth grade, this directorate has instructed the relevant authorities to prevent girls from attending educational centers in Herat province. Meanwhile, girls deprived of education in Herat province say that with this ban, the Taliban have extinguished the last ray of hope in their hearts, but they have once again lit the fire of staying at home for them. Hewa, a 22-year-old girl whose face reflects sorrow and grief, speaks with a choked voice full of emotion to Zan TV, saying: "I studied until the third semester at the Faculty of Psychology at Herat University, but after the ban on girls attending university, I sought refuge in an educational center to escape the psychological challenges and confinement at home, to learn English and stay away from this situation. But today, they have closed this door to us as well." As Hewa warms her frozen hands with her breath, she continues with a trembling voice and teary eyes, saying: "There is a saying that goes, the final nail was hammered into the coffin of something. Today, the Taliban hammered the final nail into the door of education and schooling. Truly, there is no other way left for us because we are girls." Shima Karimi, another girl deprived of education and a third-year student at the Faculty of Public Administration and Policy at Herat University, turned to learning computer skills after the ban on education for girls. However, she says that by closing the doors of educational centers to girls, the Taliban have extinguished the last ray of light in their hearts. "I was confined to my home for a while, burning in the furnace of confinement. With the mental health issues still in place, I came to this center with the help of my family and friends to improve my computer skills. But now this has also been forbidden for us. Perhaps the Taliban will say in a few days that breathing is forbidden for girls. This was our last hope, and now even this light has turned to darkness." Shafiqa Shojai, another girl who is learning a language at one of Herat's educational centers, complains about the strict rules of the Taliban. She says that although the Taliban had previously forced them to wear black hijabs, they have now deprived them of the right to attend private educational centers." She says: "Believe me, it was very hard for me to accept wearing a full-body veil, but in order to increase my capacity and awareness, I accepted it. Right now, I don't know what the authorities of the Emirate want to do with us. I don't know what our sin is. I don't know which door to go to next." Nevertheless, some teachers at educational centers in Herat have described the new Taliban decree as concerning, saying that with the implementation of this decree, they have lost more than 90 percent of their students. Mahdia Mursal, a language teacher at one of the educational centers in Herat province, says: "Imagine, more than ninety percent of our students were girls above the sixth grade, but currently, not even ten percent remain in the classrooms. How can we pay for rent, electricity, and other expenses of our center? This action of the government is truly painful and concerning. Where has the world come, and which direction are we heading in?" According to these teachers, if the Taliban do not end the ban on girls' education at private educational centers, they will be forced to close the educational doors and leave their jobs. The Taliban have announced the ban on girls attending private educational centers in Herat province, while previously, on December 4 of this year, they had also declared the ban on girls' education in medical institutes.