'I hide to cry': Afghan fathers' torment as daughters are denied education

The pain and anguish caused by the Taliban's education ban on girls are palpable among Afghan fathers, many of whom are struggling to cope with their daughters' limited future. The authorities justify the ban, unique globally, by citing their interpretation of Islamic law. However, fathers interviewed by AFP expressed deep conflict, with one devout father stating, “you will never find in the Quran that education is only for men.” Another father, while acknowledging the Taliban's success in restoring security and reducing corruption, found no “proper justification” for the education ban.

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you will never find in the Quran that education is only for men.

These men, whose identities are protected, described the emotional toll, including lost sleep over their daughters' frustration and lost potential. A UN survey last year revealed that nine out of 10 Afghan men believe secondary education for girls is important, and nearly two-thirds consider supporting a daughter's education a pious act. Some men have even faced imprisonment for protesting the ban, which was implemented in March 2022, with universities subsequently closed to women later that year.

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I couldn’t find any proper justification for this.

The Taliban government did not respond to AFP's inquiries regarding the ban, though officials maintain it is temporary. The UN estimates that at least one million girls have been directly impacted by the restrictions on secondary education after more than four years. Engineer Ahmad, whose wife, a secondary school mathematics professor, is now barred from teaching, expressed disbelief that his daughters might become “illiterate.” He fears that stopping education at the sixth grade will leave them unprepared for the demands of the 21st century.

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one day my daughters would be illiterate.

With his eldest daughter nearing the end of primary school, Ahmad sees limited options. Clandestine courses in their northern city are prohibitively expensive, consuming over half his salary. An international organization's former employee, he was once on track to relocate his family to the United States, but former President Donald Trump's policies closed that door. European nations have also denied visas, despite their public criticism of Afghanistan's restrictions on women. Ahmad, 40, told AFP that his children are unaware of his dwindling hope, and that leaving illegally is “too risky.” The children repeatedly ask, “‘When do we leave?’” The family attempts to maintain normalcy, but the looming reality of their daughters' educational future weighs heavily.

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Every day and every night, my wife and I … are getting closer to the moment when our daughters will have to stay home.