Gender Based Violence, a natural consequence of education bans

Written for Sahar Education by Blaire Curley

Violence, often a term we associate with war or political conflict. Many of us envision violence being an act carried out by men in militant clothing sent to fight a distant war in a land we will never step foot in. But violence is not always a symptom of war or conflict. When you are born a girl, violence is the consequence of a fate you could not control. 

Since the ascension to political power by the Taliban, women and girls have become political prisoners in their own country. They have been portrayed as a threat to the country’s stability, and war has been waged on their humanity. Young girls are denied the ability to receive secondary and higher education and are prohibited from integrating into the workforce. As a result, the options for what will become of their lives are limited. Forcing many young women and girls to take on the role of mother and wife far before their readiness. 

This premature entrance into motherhood and marriage often has dark consequences for young Afghan girls and makes many of them victims of gender based violence. Gender Based violence, “can include acts of sexual, physical, mental, and economic harm inflicted in public or in private” on the basis of one’s gender, and is a common occurrence in Afghanistan under the de facto regime. 

These acts of violence can be committed by strangers, male relatives, and husbands. Its increased existence can be attributed to the pervasive beliefs of the extremist Taliban Regime, which is the reigning force in the country, that believes women are inferior to men and are merely objects whose function is to exclusively fulfill domestic roles. The subscription to this line of thinking has and continues to have tangible effects on the lives of Aghani girls. 

It is reported that since 2022, 115 young women have been victims of sexual violence (Including forced marriage), sexual slavery, rape, and threats of sexual violence. Over 100 have been arrested and confined in prison, 73 have been victims of acts of arbitrary violence and severe torture, and 54 arbitrary and targeted killings. (Insert Citation). The home is no longer a safe place, and the land that these women have known their whole lives is rapidly becoming a burial ground for their own bodies. Protecting these young women and changing this unfortunate reality is not impossible, and can be driven through initiatives to expand education access for young Afghan girls.

When knowledge is concealed and freedom is limited, the path we take to mold our own future is narrow. The path is often one we do not desire and long for an escape from. This is true for many young Afghan girls who, due to the Taliban Regime’s beliefs on female education, have become victims of these confining and abusive marriages. A study conducted by UN Women shows that “nearly 80% of young Afghan Women between the ages of 18-29 are not in education, employment, or training”. This statistic serves as an implication of how, without an education or career to aspire to, the home becomes the final destination for young Afghan women. UN Women projects this crisis will only intensify as the bans are continued and expanded in 2026.

For these young girls, their dreams are becoming quiet whispers that are carried by the wind and never returned. Their youth is being stolen, and their lives are radically transformed by a future they did not ask for. This disclosure of the brutal reality of what life is like when you are born a girl in Afghanistan does not have to be one we merely observe. But, through contributing to the efforts and mission of Sahar Education, we can work to change. 

Sahar Education is committing to 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in hopes of ensuring that all young girls are not only educated but safe. The ethos of Sahar education is taking a global initiative to grant all young women the fundamental right to receive an education. An education that can not only grant them independence but also save their lives. 

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