Fahima Noori had big dreams when she graduated from university in Afghanistan. She had studied law, graduated from a midwifery programme and even worked in a mental health clinic. But all that was taken away when the Taliban swept into power in 2021. They banned girls over the age of 12 from getting an education, severely restricted job options for women and recently removed books written by women from universities.
For Fahima, the internet was her last lifeline to the outside world. I recently enrolled in an online university [and] I had hoped to finish my studies and find an online job, she said. On Tuesday, that lifeline was cut off when the Taliban imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that is set to last indefinitely. Our last hope was online learning. Now [even] that dream has been destroyed, said Fahima.
Over the past few weeks, the Taliban government began severing fibre-optic internet connections across several provinces, claiming this was part of an effort to prevent immorality. On Tuesday, the country experienced a total internet blackout according to internet watchdog Netblocks - a move that has paralyzed essential services.
Reports indicate international news agencies have lost contact with offices in Kabul and mobile internet has been severely disrupted. Students like Shakiba, who lived in the northern province of Takhar, expressed their heartbreak, saying, We want to study. We want to be educated. We want to be able to help people in our future. When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me.
Traditional avenues of education have been closed to women in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control. As restrictions on women's rights continue to tighten, many students' and teachers' futures now hang precariously in the balance without internet access. Teachers like Zabi have reported similar setbacks, losing their online teaching jobs and the ability to educate their students.
The Taliban's ban has already resulted in overwhelming difficulties for many, with teachers and business owners reporting significant losses due to the shutdown. Without access, the dreams of countless women remain dashed, as their aspirations for education slip further away into darkness.
For Fahima, the internet was her last lifeline to the outside world. I recently enrolled in an online university [and] I had hoped to finish my studies and find an online job, she said. On Tuesday, that lifeline was cut off when the Taliban imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that is set to last indefinitely. Our last hope was online learning. Now [even] that dream has been destroyed, said Fahima.
Over the past few weeks, the Taliban government began severing fibre-optic internet connections across several provinces, claiming this was part of an effort to prevent immorality. On Tuesday, the country experienced a total internet blackout according to internet watchdog Netblocks - a move that has paralyzed essential services.
Reports indicate international news agencies have lost contact with offices in Kabul and mobile internet has been severely disrupted. Students like Shakiba, who lived in the northern province of Takhar, expressed their heartbreak, saying, We want to study. We want to be educated. We want to be able to help people in our future. When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me.
Traditional avenues of education have been closed to women in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control. As restrictions on women's rights continue to tighten, many students' and teachers' futures now hang precariously in the balance without internet access. Teachers like Zabi have reported similar setbacks, losing their online teaching jobs and the ability to educate their students.
The Taliban's ban has already resulted in overwhelming difficulties for many, with teachers and business owners reporting significant losses due to the shutdown. Without access, the dreams of countless women remain dashed, as their aspirations for education slip further away into darkness.
