Our generation will continue resisting the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls

• Personal account of an Afghan woman navigating the loss of educational freedom following the 2021 Taliban takeover.
• Details the physical danger faced when attempting to complete academic requirements and the subsequent pivot toward alternative learning methods.
• Highlights ongoing grassroots efforts to educate Afghan girls despite widespread restrictions and systemic bans.

The Collapse of Educational Aspirations

• In August 2021, the author's academic path in Herat was abruptly halted by the Taliban's takeover of the city.
• Despite intensive efforts to finish her degree, a December 2022 decree banned women from universities just days before her scheduled graduation.
• When attempting to enter the university to defend her thesis, the author was confronted by a Taliban guard who threatened her with a firearm and discharged it in the air to force her away.

Resistance Through Knowledge

• After losing access to formal education, the author turned to reading groups, literature such as "Wuthering Heights," and various online training programs.
• Faced with the instability of online courses—which were frequently allowed and then suddenly banned—the author shifted her focus to activism through pedagogy.
• Currently, the author teaches in online schools for girls and provides instruction in Islamic culture, aiming to fight ignorance and prepare future generations to resist systemic oppression.