Taliban internet clampdown: will Europe revive academic support to Afghan women?
Juliette Portala of Science | Business writes:
““The online educational opportunities seized by Afghan women and girls in reaction to their exclusion from the formal education system shows their continued hope, resistance and belief in a future where they can make themselves heard and seen, and the internet shutdowns by the Taliban are a cowardly response to this,” said Imke Steimann, who heads the office of the secretary general of the Global Campus of Human Rights. “The internet is the only option currently available to girls past the sixth grade to receive education, aside from underground schools, and should be kept open.”
Sahar Education in the US is one organisation that has tried to circumvent the censorship measures in place since 2021.
“Sahar’s programmes have largely operated underground, avoiding scrutiny and control by the Taliban through partnerships with in-country organisations and creative solutions to locations, transport and safety protocols,” Allie Renar, operations and finance manager at Sahar, told Science|Business. “Last year, we started an online programme to reach students who are unable to attend in-person courses either because of safety concerns or geographic limitations.”
Designed for female students over 14 years of age, Secret Scholars Online consists of an app-based programme for English and maths learning, as well as small groups led by female Afghan teachers who operate via Google Classroom and WhatsApp.
But like most non-profit organisations, Sahar could use more support.”
Read the rest of the article on Science | Business.