Gohar, a girl who at 20 is a mother of two children, spent her teenage years dreaming of studying music. Due to her passion for singing and playing, she secretly played the harmonium, but was forced to marry a 40-year-old man at the age of 17. She says, "From that day on, my childhood and girlhood, along with all my dreams, were buried."
Girlhood Under the Shadow of the Taliban
With the Taliban's return to power in 2021, many doors of opportunity were closed to girls. Gohar was in the ninth grade and wanted to study music at university after graduation. However, due to the Taliban's strictness and family pressure, her dreams turned into a fantasy. She talks about her psychological pressures and mentions two suicide attempts. Nevertheless, her responsibility for her children has compelled her to continue in these difficult circumstances.
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Armineh; Struggling to Survive in Despair
Armineh, a 22-year-old girl who was in her last year of school when the Taliban returned, is still trying to pursue her dreams. She says, "Today is International Day of the Girl, and I am so caught up in life's problems that I forgot today is my day." While she aspires to design clothes and become a model, she expresses despair over her country's situation, saying, "We Afghan women and girls are just breathing, and that's it. But our bodies are exhausted."
Despite family issues, Armineh tries to find hope for her future through painting, makeup, learning languages, and designing clothes. She reflects on her situation, saying, "I am tired of being a girl. I feel like I am just alive but not living."
International Day of the Girl is celebrated every year on October 11. However, in Afghanistan, with the Taliban's return, there are no signs of celebrating this day. UNICEF reported in 2026 that over 2.6 million girls have been deprived of secondary education. This deprivation has not only limited educational opportunities but has also made girls more vulnerable to early marriage and social harms.
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