Despite these rights, many women still struggle in practice. Fatima Ahmadi, a 29 years old teacher, says, “My husband decides how my income is spent. Sometimes I can give my opinion, but he always makes the final decision. He has forced me to hand over my full salary even when I needed it myself.”
“For many Afghans, education is not just a right. It is a necessity. If we do not study, we have nothing to stay for, nothing to survive on. Education is a way to escape a fate that threatens us,” Samir says.
He said: “I studied Turkish online through YouTube for about four months, and it was very useful. Today, we can study from home and create a university-like environment for ourselves. Online learning is also very cheap—almost free. You only need internet.”
Shaimagul Samadi shares a similar story. She says: “Before, I knew a little about herbs, but I didn’t know how to use them—what they are good for, what benefits they have, or how they work. Since I came here, I’ve learned how to use them properly.”
She adds: “Before coming here, my family’s financial situation was very weak, and I faced many mental health challenges. When I heard about the workshop, I joined and learned sewing in one year. By making clothes, I now have an income and can help my family. Most importantly, my mental health has improved.”
Before using AI, I imagined it as a complex and almost frightening technology from science fiction, something meant only for scientists, programmers, or large companies. I never thought it could be part of my personal life or learning; instead, I believed this technology would either save the world or threaten it.
Following the political changes in Afghanistan, small businesses have emerged as a key source of hope for women seeking financial independence. Interviews with 23 women reveal that while many rely on small loans to sustain themselves, for some, these loans also bring economic and emotional stress.
Alina Tokhi says having girls in such jobs shows that women, like men, can do any kind of work. “I used to think this was only for men, but I realized any job men can do, women can do too,” she says.
Zarghona, 35 years old, mother of three children from Narang district in Kunar, transformed her life through a simple act: growing vegetables.
Many widows in Afghanistan who have lost their husbands for different reasons, face social pressure and even threats of losing their children to force them into marrying their late husbands’ relatives.
Although poverty and economic difficulties in Afghanistan have cast a shadow over the celebration of special occasions, many young people are making efforts, with limited resources, to create lasting memories for themselves and their families this Eid al-Fitr in 2025.
Officials of the Islamic Emirate have called on the Pakistani government to refrain from expelling Afghan migrants during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
