The Problems Affecting Afghan Girls
While their odds are daunting, they will continue fighting
Afghan girls have endured unimaginable horrors. Their lives are dominated by various types of difficulties, including social, political, cultural, and economic problems.
First, from the moment a girl is born in Afghanistan, she faces a significant cultural issue that makes her a second-class citizen in the family. Parents often pay more attention to the physical and educational upbringing of their sons than to their daughters.
The second issue is social, where society questions a girl’s existence. She’s merely property to be given to her husband. Society pressures these girls to leave their parental homes for their husbands’ homes as soon as possible.
The third problem faced by Afghan girls is economic. Families often have limited income for their livelihood, and with this income, they may prioritize the needs of their sons over their daughters. Additionally, sometimes, the economic difficulties faced by families in Afghanistan lead to girls being forced into marriage as a means of survival.
Lastly, the political issue is one of the major problems that have dashed the hopes of thousands of girls in my country. Afghanistan is a country that has never had political stability. However, this instability has significantly impacted the girls of my land, especially after August 15, 2021.
The political upheaval of 2021 has saddened most Afghan girls to such an extent that every girl now desires to leave Afghanistan in any possible way. The migration of some Afghans has brought even more adverse effects on those who have remained in the country.
On the other hand, some girls are forced into marriage because they see no other option to pursue their educational goals. Afghan girls are among the strongest beings, standing firm like a mountain despite all this darkness.
I am confident that a day will come when the girls of my homeland will once again strive to achieve their goals.
As a former professor at Kabul University, I learned that many young ladies were just as talented as the boys—if not more so. I could see innocence in each of their faces, which housed thousands of hopes for the future.
The dreams of each girl in my country may be dormant, but I am confident they will rise again with even greater determination. The girls in my country who remain in Afghanistan and still find hope in life despite the closed doors of education and who live their lives with joy are truly heroes.
My country’s girls, despite cultural, social, economic, and political chains, are still able to adapt. I do not consider the girls of my homeland unfortunate; rather, I bestow upon each of them the title of a hero.
Fatima is an Afghan woman living in America
I have never understood why it makes sense to discard the talents of half of the population in service to some sky-God. Christian, Muslim, Mormon, whatever.