Since August 2021, the Taliban have been in power in Afghanistan. It didn’t take long for the fundamentalists to deprive women of all their rights: to work, to move freely, to dress… Or access to education. Millions of Afghan women saw their fundamental right to education denied overnight.

Knowledge is power, and that’s why the Taliban forbid girls to study. There are no longer any state schools, only the possibility of attending Koranic schools up to the age of 12. Since December 20, 2022, the Taliban have banned women from higher education. The very next day, Afghan women could no longer enter their university campuses. They have been banned ever since.

→ 12 Afghan women receive scholarships in Iran

The scholarship project for Afghan girls provides 12 female students with an opportunity for higher education. The project circumvents the ban on higher education by offering scholarships to study in Iran. The scholarships cover tuition fees, accommodation and other expenses. This enables the girls to pursue their academic ambitions without financial constraints.

The main aim is to guarantee access to education, empower beneficiaries and promote gender equality. By supporting female students throughout their academic career, the project aims to train community leaders capable of catalyzing positive change in Afghanistan. The success of these students could inspire other girls and contribute to sustainable development and greater equality in their home countries.

In short, this ambitious project aims not only to transform the lives of the 12 beneficiaries, but also to create a significant societal impact in Afghanistan when the students return. The project aims to break cycles of marginalization and foster a new generation of educated, influential Afghan women.

Discover our other projects in Afghanistan :

• emergency humanitarian aid
• access to maternal and child healthcare

Discover Chékéba Hachemi’s interview with Jérôme Bloch for 360 Crossmedia: click here.

In it, she discusses the current dramatic situation for women in Afghanistan and the mobilization of Stand Speak Rise Up! through its humanitarian emergency distribution and access to maternal and child health projects.