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 sixth 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’. The fifth can be found here: Voices of Afghanistan Interview Series: ‘If we don’t defend our rights, this could continue for generations to come. We won’t let it’.

Tell us about your life before August 2021. Were you working or studying? Any details you wish to share would be appreciated. We just ask you to keep your answers vague enough to not jeopardize your anonymity.

I am a doctor specializing in mental and neurological department. Before the change in government, I was pursuing my medical specialization at the hospital. After the fall of the republic, many things changed in my life and I spent nearly a month at home. I experienced severe depression during that time. Horrific stories of murder, public punishments, and the introduction of new laws claiming to be in the name of Islam disturbed my thoughts and worsened my mental health.

I had to delay my medical specialization by a whole year. My plans to emigrate abroad would now be deferred. The uncertainty kept me in a constant state of stress and anxiety which took over my entire life. During the time I wasn’t working, I felt that my 20 years of education had been wasted and my dreams were shattered. I tried to convince myself that this is my profession, and I should not give it up under any circumstances.

When I returned to work at the hospital, each day became harder. The workload increased. Supervising doctors watched over us. We received instructions about how to dress and groom ourselves. There were suddenly rules against talking to male patients and orders to hide the real causes of patients’ deaths. All of this was very difficult for me to handle.

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

The arrival of the Taliban in August 2021 brought many changes for me and my family. When I learned about the fall of the republic, my first reaction was to cry. I hid all of my educational documents to protect my identity because I had heard stories from the previous Taliban regime about their hatred for educated women.

My nearly year-long absence from work, the delay in my specialization, the changed environment at the hospital, Taliban fighters entering the hospital with weapons, the increased prevalence of mental illness, the lack of safety at the workplace, the workload after many doctors fled the country, and the shortage of specialist doctors—all of these things created stress and depression for the medical staff.

Which of the Taliban’s new policies toward women has had the most significant impact on your life, or on your family or community?

Many of the Taliban policies have affected us all deeply. The ban on women working in government offices and foreign institutions, rising numbers of unemployed women, and the replacement of professional staff with unqualified staff. Also the decrease in hiring women doctors, and the significant reduction in the number of female doctors, midwives, and nurses in hospitals, clinics, and other health centers.

At the same time, school and university closures for women, forced marriages, increased taxes, and the collection of money from citizens under different pretexts have led to poverty in families in our society, and across the country.

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

The closure of education for women, the dismissal of female government workers—especially teachers and administrators who were often the family breadwinners. Restrictions on women’s movement without a mahram, the requirement for full-body coverings, the elimination of women’s rights and freedom of expression, the killing and torture of journalists, harsh public punishments—like stoning and flogging—media censorship, and the dismissal of university professors. These are all changes that we have seen and continue to see.

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

One of the most painful laws imposed by the Taliban is the new law that will require me to take another exam in the capital even though I have already completed my medical specialization course. I have been sitting at home for an entire year without a clear future because I do not have the financial means to travel and take the exam. In addition, I haven’t been able to get a home inspection license, and this issue has consumed my thoughts.

We, the female doctors—once symbols of women’s progress, ability, and independence—are now facing barriers, threats, and silence. Many other women are in the same situation.

What would you like the world to understand about your current situation? Or what do you think is the most misunderstood aspect of your current situation?

Even though I am qualified, I cannot serve my community as a mental and neurological specialist. Appointments in this government are no longer based on education or qualifications. Now, they are based on ethnicity, religion, and gender. This government continues to give preference to men over women.

What gives you hope or strength in these challenging times?

My only hope is in God Almighty. I wake up every day praying that this nightmare will end—that one day I will be self-sufficient and able to serve society again. Despite everything, I am grateful for my beloved family. They never hesitated to sacrifice their comfort for me and have always stood by my side.