Afghan universities have begun reopening after a winter break, but the new term is another painful reminder to young women of how their world is shrinking.
The higher education ministry announced late last year that female students would be barred from returning to class, reversing policies that had allowed them to continue their studies after the Taliban government took power in Kabul in 2021.
“Now I’m a No-one,” said a fourth-year computer science student.
“My plan was to finish university, do my masters, and then my PHD. I wanted to work and serve my nation, my people, my country. I can’t do that now.”
Just months earlier, she and her friends had been talking about how to prepare for graduation.
Atefa, the only one willing to let her first name be used for the article, is a 19-year-old computer science student in Herat who didn’t even have a chance to form those memories.
She had just passed the university entrance exam and planned to become a website developer, but “all that has been wasted”, she said.
“My friends and I put a lot of pressure on ourselves to pass the exam [but] my dream couldn’t come true… it has come to an end.”
But there is evidence of disagreement within the ranks, with the clerics advising Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada strongly opposed to education and work for women.
The reality is that most universities had already introduced measures to separate men and women.
“If they are telling us to wear a hijab, we are happy to do that,” said a second-year theatre student at Kabul University. “If we need to have a segregated class, we are happy for that to happen, but just let us learn.”
The ban has been traumatic for male students as well.
Returning to class felt like a funeral, said one in the east of the country.
“The feeling was as though someone had died in our university,” he said. “Everyone was really upset. I know the reason… but I was scared to speak up because I thought that the Taliban government would arrest me.”
Protests have been muted. The Taliban broke up a small demonstration outside the United Nations office on Tuesday. Social media also showed a handful of female students apparently sitting on the street outside Kabul University reading their books.
Some put out a joint statement calling on male students to boycott classes until universities open for all. But so far that hasn’t happened.
A second-year language major said a boycott would be a waste of time because nothing would change.