In August 2021, the world watched as the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, sweeping away two decades of progress toward democracy, human rights and gender equality. While international headlines have since moved on to other crises, millions of Afghan women and girls continue to live under increasingly restrictive policies that have systematically stripped away their most fundamental rights.

This series of anonymous interviews gives voice to those who have been deliberately silenced. Through intimate conversations with women and girls across Afghanistan, we document the profound human impact of the Taliban’s return to power. From students forced to abandon their education to professionals removed from public life, these firsthand accounts reveal the day-to-day reality behind the headlines—a reality of dreams deferred, freedoms revoked, and lives fundamentally altered.

What emerges is not just a chronicle of loss, but a testament to extraordinary resilience. Despite facing restrictions on their movement, dress, education, and employment, Afghan women continue to resist in ways both large and small. Their stories demand our attention not as abstract victims of geopolitical circumstances, but as individuals with unique perspectives, aspirations, and undiminished dignity.

In publishing these interviews, we honor the courage of those who have shared their experiences despite considerable personal risk. Their names have been changed and identifying details obscured, but their voices — clear, honest, and urgent — remain intact.

As the international community’s focus wavers and diplomatic engagement with the Taliban regime increases, these testimonies stand as a powerful reminder: Afghanistan’s women and girls must not be forgotten, and their rights cannot be bargained away in the name of stability or expedience.

This is the fifth in a series of interviews that will explore the many facets of the lives of Afghanistan’s women and girls under a resurgent Taliban. The first in the series can be found here: Voices of Afghanistan Interview Series: ‘We’ve been all but erased from public life’. The second can be found here: Voices of Afghanistan Interview Series: ‘We will continue to resist, to hope, and to fight for a better tomorrow’. The third can be found here: Voices of Afghanistan Interview Series: ‘We, Afghan girls and women, will call for freedom with every breath’. The fourth can be found here: Voices of Afghanistan Interview Series: ‘Afghan women are not just victims; we are strong, resilient, and capable’.

Tell us about your life before August 2021. Were you working or studying?

Before August 2021, I was a university student studying Business Administration and working as a Human Resources Assistant.

How did you learn about the events of August 2021? What were your initial thoughts or reactions?

When I heard that Afghanistan had fallen, I was completely shocked and couldn’t believe it. I felt confused, hopeless, and as if the world had come to an end. It seemed like a dark, heavy cloud had covered all of Afghanistan. I first learned about the situation from a colleague who told me that the town of Paghman had been taken by the Taliban. That moment was very painful for me. A deep sense of hopelessness took over, and for about a month, I didn’t even leave the house. It was a very difficult and heartbreaking time in my life.

Which Taliban policies have most significantly impacted you, your family, and your community?

The Taliban’s anti-women policies have most significantly impacted my life. I lost my job, and now I cannot go outside without a mahram (male guardian) accompanying me. Education centers were once a source of hope for many girls—including for me. Sadly, the Taliban has since shut them down. These restrictions have taken away our freedom, opportunities, and dreams. It has been emotionally and mentally devastating.

Can you share a story that illustrates how life has changed for women in Afghanistan?

It’s hard to choose one story because every woman here is living through pain—whether it’s a forced marriage, suffering domestic violence, dying by suicide, or being silenced for speaking up.

But I will tell you the story of Arezoo, a 15-year-old girl who was in 9th grade. Arezoo’s name means “hope” and she truly carried hope in her heart. She dreamed of becoming a doctor and studied with great passion. She learned English and secretly attended first-aid classes even after girls could no longer study openly.

Arezoo’s dreams were crushed when she caught the eye of a Taliban fighter. It was not long before the Taliban fighter pressured Arezoo’s family into agreeing to a forced marriage between Arezoo and that man. Just like her name, Arezoo’s dreams remained only dreams that would never be realized.

This story is not just about one girl; it is the story of so many young Afghan girls whose futures are stolen. It is about girls whose dreams are buried under fear, silence, and injustice.

Can you describe a time when you most strongly felt the impact of the new rules?

There was one policy that affected me personally. The Taliban had implemented a new law that allowed them to go from home-to-home conducting “security” checks for weapons and “criminals” accused of kidnappings and robberies. One day, while the Taliban conducted these house-to-house searches, I had been transferring textbooks from a school to another location, knowing full well that I could have been shot. My sister and I later went to a restaurant for ice cream and Ambar al-Maraf officers came to the restaurant and began searching people’s phones. In the moment, I wished to die so that my phone would not fall into their hands. I never went to a restaurant again after that. I will not go again.

What do you wish the world knew about your current situation? What do you think is the most misunderstood aspect of your current situation?

I ask the world and all organizations that defend women’s rights not to forget the girls and women of Afghanistan. I wish the world would not normalize our situation, and not allow girls to be deprived of education.

What gives you hope or strength in these challenging times?

One challenge that I face is teaching in secret. The government cannot know that I am teaching. My family’s and my life could be in danger at any moment. What gives me strength is the innocent faces of girls who want to be doctors, engineers, journalists, traders, or who wish to earn master’s degrees—all of whom have been deprived of rights to education.

What inspired you to plant trees and create a garden in your home?

I felt motivated to create a garden inside the school campus after the Taliban banned recreational places for women and girls. I know that humans cannot live away from nature and its beauty, so I brought the beauty inside. We should have a school garden because it is a good environment for girls’ education.

What obstacles have you faced in maintaining the garden? 

At first, I struggled to plant flowers and trees because there was no one to guide me on how to prepare the garden, or to prepare flower seeds for planting. I also could not afford to buy the spray to prevent pests from eating the flowers and plants. Irrigation was also difficult because there was no electricity and a lack of water. Some days, I went to fetch a few barrels of water from the neighbor’s house so that I could at least water the flowers.

How did you manage to create a garden in your home despite the Taliban having banned women and girls from public spaces?

My family supported me and gave me positive energy at the height of my despair. I knew that when the environment was calm, and there were no Afghan army soldiers nearby, we could move the students in and out of the school, one by one.

How do you stay resilient and motivated despite these challenges?  

As an Afghan girl, I know it is necessary for me to stay strong so that we can be a model of courage and resistance for future generations and make history. If we don’t defend our rights, this could continue for generations to come. We won’t let it.

This interview, as well as the others in this series, were conducted by a JURIST correspondent on the ground in Afghanistan. This correspondent, an anonymous legal scholar who focuses on women’s and children’s rights, cannot be identified due to grave security threats. 

*Due to security threats, all interviewees’ identities have been anonymized.