Zahra Shaheer, an Afghan journalist and women’s rights activist, provides fresh insight on the aftermath of the Taliban’s takeover and two first-hand accounts of the ongoing crisis. 

15 August 2021 is remembered as a dark day for Afghan women. On this day, then-president Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul and the Taliban swiftly took control, reversing nearly two decades of progress in women’s rights. This date is particularly grim because it represents the end of a period when women had begun to enjoy basic rights such as education and employment. The Taliban’s return has stripped away these rights, casting a long shadow over the future of Afghan women and intensifying their struggle.

Afghan women view this date as marking the abrupt and devastating end of their hard-won freedoms and the beginning of severe restrictions. For many of us, this day marked the return of a regime known for its oppressive stance against women’s rights. The loss of access to education, employment, and personal freedoms has created a pervasive sense of despair and fear.

The resilience of Afghan women and refugees, and their determination to secure their rights, must be met with global support and action.

As a journalist who fled Kabul on 15 August 2021, I experienced the turmoil and upheaval first-hand. My escape to the UK with my children was fraught with challenges, including months of isolation and significant gaps in language and employment support, although we did get valuable help from organisations like Wycombe Refugee Partnership and the Refugee Council. Adjusting to life in the UK has been difficult; the career I had built for over a decade felt lost.

Nevertheless, I have rebuilt my career, now working as a freelance journalist with the BBC Afghan talent pool service desk, which allows me to continue my passion for journalism and support my community.

To mark the third anniversary of the fall of Kabul, I interviewed two individuals whose stories highlight the ongoing crisis: Ahmad, a former special forces soldier now living in the US, and Shahla, a cultural activist and library manager who remains in Afghanistan*.

Ahmad shared his experiences from the chaos of Kabul’s collapse. “I was an Afghan army officer in the former government,” he recalled. “On August 14, 2021, I received a call to report to the National Directorate of Security (NDS) the next morning. When I reached the NDS gate, the security guards informed me that Kabul might collapse. I returned home, only to be called back to our military base immediately.”

As the Taliban advanced, Ahmad’s mission shifted to securing Logar Province. However, by the time he and his team arrived, Logar had already fallen. “We spent two days returning to Kabul, facing Taliban ambushes along the way. By Allah’s kindness and our people’s prayers, we reached safety.” Ahmad’s role then shifted to securing Kabul airport for evacuations. “We completed this mission until 28 August, when I handed over the airport’s first security gate to the Taliban as ordered, before evacuating to the US.”

I was taken to a student prison and held for three days in an unknown location, witnessing and enduring horrific conditions.

Shahla, who remains in Afghanistan, offers a glimpse into the struggles faced by Afghan women under Taliban rule. She established the Tamaki Nukhbagan Library in Karabagh District to promote education and culture. “During the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan [the name of the Afghan state before the Taliban takeover], I engaged in cultural activities and established the library with over 3,000 books”.

Nukhbagan means “elite” in Dari, encouraging girls and women to strive for a better future. Shahla’s efforts have however been severely curtailed since the Taliban’s return. “Our activities decreased due to restrictions on women, and eventually, I had to stop my work due to traumatic personal events.”

Shahla’s experiences also include a traumatic detention by the Taliban. “In January, a student came to our house and insisted I go with them to the school. I was taken to a student prison and held for three days in an unknown location, witnessing and enduring horrific conditions. The experience left me with severe mental and emotional problems. For a long time after my release, I suffered from nightmares and was afraid of even the men in my family. I feared going outside, haunted by the trauma of those three days.” Shahla’s testimony underscores the need for continued international support and action.

I urge you to continue to advocate for Afghan women’s rights and stand in solidarity with both their struggle and that of Afghan refugees.

The anniversary of the fall of Kabul is a stark reminder of the fragility of women’s rights in Afghanistan. As the world reflects on this anniversary, I urge you to continue to advocate for Afghan women’s rights and stand in solidarity with both their struggle and that of Afghan refugees. The resilience of Afghan women and refugees, and their determination to secure their rights, must be met with global support and action. ■

* Ahmad and Shahla’s names have been changed to protect their identity.