Afghan teacher vows to ensure women ‘continue to learn’ despite Taliban danger

A staunch advocate for women’s rights across Afghanistan, Pashtana Zalmai Khan Durrani has vowed to ensure that young Afghan women and girls ‘continue to learn’ despite the fundamentalist Taliban regime. She told NY1 that the Taliban interference cannot deter her from the mission of providing education to the most vulnerable females within the conflict-ridden territory. The 23-year-old activist has conducted campaigns, educating hundreds of Afghan women through her nonprofit organisation 'LEARN' that she established nearly three years ago. 

Currently, Durrani has been hiding from the Taliban in an undisclosed location, sources told Spectrum News, adding that she plans to continue pushing her cause forward despite the Taliban danger. Several Afghans, like Durrani, have cast doubts on the Taliban’s pledge of ensuring the rights of women within the “framework of Islamic law.” The dissentient female has called on the international community to stand by the women and girls of Afghanistan. 

Taliban’s rule in Kabul threatens to undermine basic human rights for women in the country, according to a 32-page report, titled "I Thought Our Life Might Get Better: Implementing Afghanistan’s Elimination of Violence against Women Law” published by Human Rights Watch Agency (HRW). The report explores the horrendous experiences of vulnerable Afghan women as they fight for justice and lead tough lives in a country where violence escalated as the Taliban made considerable territorial gains. “Prospects of a Taliban-dominated government threatens constitutional and international law protections for Afghan women’s fundamental rights,” HRW report noted. 

“There are always risks with things like these, in a country where [the] political system is not in place, where every other day there is a pinch,” Durrani was quoted saying by Spectrum. Her family fears that her outspoken activism will put a target on her back. But she calls education “a hope” for the Afghan women and a better Afghanistan. “Not all the military men who fought for two decades can run the country forever, right?” She told reporters. “You do need educated women in the future,” she said. “So we are just going to stick to that for now.”

'Huge need for digital literacy' in Afghanistan 

As per the sources, Durrani commenced the foundation LEARN  after her female cousin expressed the desire to learn computers. It was then that the fierce activist realised the “huge need for digital literacy” among Afghan women, particularly in areas with no internet. She went on to help 700 girls gain education in the country, which is ranked to have the lowest literacy rates globally. But with the Taliban taking the stronghold of the entire country, the future of Durrani’s students and her ambitions appear bleak. “People’s lives are at stake, their dreams, their goals,” she told Spectrum’s reporters.

But it doesn't matter if the Taliban are in power or not, “girls are going to continue to learn. That's a priority,” she was further quoted as saying.  Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had earlier at a press conference stated that women will be allowed to work only in offices of the government, and in areas of medicines. The hardline extremists banned co-ed education calling it “roots of all evil.”