Fahima Noori, a recent university graduate in Afghanistan, had envisioned a future built on her legal studies and experiences in healthcare. However, the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 stripped away opportunities, banning girls over 12 from education and severely limiting women’s employment. With the recent removal of women-authored books from universities, Fahima’s final lifeline—the internet—was abruptly severed. She had recently enrolled in online studies, hoping to secure an online job, but the nationwide internet shutdown, effective indefinitely since Tuesday, has shattered this dream.
The Taliban’s move, which began with cutting off fiber-optic connections in several provinces to combat perceived immorality, has led to a complete internet blackout across the country, according to Netblocks. This has crippled essential services, with international news agencies losing contact with their Kabul offices and mobile internet and satellite TV services severely disrupted. Flights from Kabul have also been impacted.
For women like Fahima and Shakiba, a former midwifery student from Takhar province, the internet was their only remaining avenue for education and personal growth. Shakiba expressed her despair, stating, “When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me.” Both women, whose identities have been protected, highlighted the loss of connection to the outside world and the inability to acquire new skills.
Teachers like Zabi have also been severely affected. Having previously worked as a journalist, he turned to online English teaching after finding no opportunities in Afghanistan. His classes, attended by both men and women, were crucial for students preparing for the IELTS exam, which can only be taken online. Zabi recounts the heartbreak of 45 students missing their exams due to the sudden internet cutoff, a blow to their months of preparation.
The cost of mobile data, which is an alternative but expensive and unreliable option, further exacerbates the situation. Many women relied on shared Wi-Fi connections, which are now inaccessible. The ban on online learning and the restrictions on education have left many, particularly women, feeling helpless and without prospects, with some fearing they may have to leave the country to pursue their ambitions.
The Taliban government maintains that it respects women’s rights within its interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture, despite widespread international condemnation of its policies that increasingly restrict women’s freedoms and access to information and education.