Pul-E-JawanThe Taliban seized the control of Herat in 1994 and then Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan in 1996 and violently plunged Afghanistan into a brutal state of totalitarian dictatorship and gender apartheid in which women and girls were stripped of their basic human rights.
Under Taliban rule women were deprived of all human rights; their work, visibility, voice and opportunity for education, everything was taken away from them.
Taliban banished women from the work force, they shut downed all schools and universities for girls and women. Woman, who defied Taliban decrees were brutally beaten, publicly flogged and even killed.
Home schools were also prohibited and any woman who was found giving tuition to girls was killed in front of her family and students. Students and teachers were attacked with acid if found going to school or tuition.
But despite all the restrictions and brutal treatment of Talibans, Afghan girls risking their lives continued their struggle and desire of education with hope and self determination.
One such story is of Fawzia, in her story she tells us about how she faced violence and intimidation of Talibans but she stood for what she believed in.
She with her family migrated to Kabul from Herat so that she could study but here in Kabul as well, Taliban insurgents maintain a strong foothold which barred her to study.
But Fawzia didn’t give up on her education. She was tortured and abused but she continued her struggle. She continued to study privately and she completed two years of her education under Taliban rule. Her determination supported her. Fawzia knew if she stands up for her rights and dreams nothing can fail her.
This digital story was created by Fawzia during the Take Back the Tech! Digital storytelling project in Kabul, held in conjunction with Afghanistan Media Development & Empowerment Project (AMDEP), Internews, Bytes for all and APC WNSP.