‘Send your daughters or you get no aid’: the Taliban are making religious schools girls’ only option

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has severely restricted educational opportunities for women, forcing families to send their daughters to religious schools in exchange for basic necessities like food and employment. This troubling trend highlights the dire situation for Afghan women, who are being denied access to higher education and professional careers, as exemplified by Nahid, a 24-year-old who had to abandon her economics degree. The implications of this shift are profound, as it not only limits women's rights but also stifles the potential for a more educated and progressive society.