Afghan women are losing “last hope” as the Taliban closed the Internet

Fahima Nuri had big dreams when she graduated from university in Afghanistan.

She had studied the law, graduated from the tribe program until she worked in a mental health clinic.

But all that was taken away when the Taliban invaded power in 2021. They banned girls over the age of 12 to obtain education, and work options very restricted to women and were recently played by women from universities.

For Fahima, the Internet was the last lifeline in the outside world.

She said, “I recently joined an Internet university (and) I was hoping to finish my studies and find an online job.”

On Tuesday, this lifeline was cut when the Taliban imposed a closure on the Internet on the country level that is scheduled to continue indefinitely.

Fahima said: “Our last hope was online learning. Now (even) this dream was destroyed.”

Her real name has been changed to protect her identity, as well as the names of all others who were interviewed in this article.

During the past few weeks, the Taliban government has begun to cut off the Internet optical fibers through many provinces, saying this was part of an attempt to prevent immorality.

For many, they were afraid that this was the first step towards turning off the entire internet.

On Tuesday, their worst fears became real. The country is currently witnessing “a total of an Internet blackout” according to Netblocks on the Internet – a step that has paralyzed the country’s basic services.

International news agencies say it has lost its contact with the offices in the capital, Kabul. The internet has also been disabled by mobile phone and satellite television throughout Afghanistan. Flights were also disabled from Kabul Airport, according to local media reports.

Before closing the country, the British Broadcasting Corporation spoke to some people in Afghanistan who detailed how the internet interruption in their provinces had brought out their lives.

“Before that, I studied the tribe, but unfortunately, this program was banned for women … it was the only hope that left us the Internet and online learning.”

“We want to study. We want to learn. We want to be able to help people in our future. When I heard that the Internet was cut, the world felt dark for me.”

It is a similar story to Fahima, which she now feels “helpless”.

“My sister (and me) was studying online. We are used to keeping news and technology online, but now we cannot keep up with or learn new skills,” said the student, who lives in the East Afghanistan Province.

“We dreamed of ending our education and helping our father financially, but now … we all sit at home, we do nothing.”

Since the seizure of power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed many restrictions according to its interpretation of Islamic law.

Earlier this month, they removed the books written by women from the country’s university teaching system as part of a new ban that also clarified human rights and sexual harassment.

The Taliban said about 140 women’s books – including titles such as “Safety in the Chemical Laboratory” – “anxiety” was found due to “anti -buying policies and Taliban”.

The Taliban government said it respects women’s rights according to its interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.

But not only the students who were affected – the teachers like Zabi, who used to gain their livelihood through online teaching, have been likely.

Zabi says he was previously working as a journalist in Pakistan, but he did not find any chances in this field when he returned to Afghanistan. He decided to open an English teaching center – but he had to take this online when the authorities imposed restrictions on educational institutes.

He said: “I had men and women in my classes – up to 70 or 80 students at the same time. My students were happy and our lessons went smoothly.” “They were all preparing for IELTS (unified English test) and all their learning depends on the Internet. Search, practice tests, official exams, everything.”

Zabi, who also lives in the east of the country, adds that there is no IELTS center in Afghanistan, so the only option for students is to take one online.

“Two days ago, about 45 of my students were in the middle of the exam when the Internet was cut. They were preparing for it for several months, but they missed the opportunity. It was a snare for them – and for me as their teacher.”

He adds that he is constantly receiving calls from his students who do not know what to do.

“They continue to call me asking,” the teacher, what should we do? “For children, there are still some English centers open, but for my students, this was their last chance.

Before turning off on Monday, many people who have been interviewed say there is still the option to connect with mobile phone data – but this is very expensive for most, and that the connection is incomplete. It costs a monthly plan with 100 GB of data 3,500 Afghan, or about $ 50 (37 pounds). In contrast, WiFi used to cost about 1,000 Afghan a month – which can be more divided among a few students.

According to a report earlier in the United Nations Development Program, individual income from Afghanistan amounted to $ 306 in 2024.

Zabi says he will need to leave the country if the Internet is not recovered soon – saying he has no other way to earn a living.

The Taliban did not give an official reason for the closure. They said earlier that an alternative road will be created to access the Internet, but they did not give more details.

Anas, a change in the province of Takhar, says his work has faced “tremendous problems” since the Internet was closed, saying that many of his work depends on the Internet.

“Our business has been affected by about 90 %,” he says. “Yesterday, my brother, who was also a business partner, tried to send an email to a customer. He couldn’t get it.”

But his main interest is his three daughters – they are all used to take online lessons.

“The day before, we heard that the Taliban had cut off the Internet in a shrine, and my older daughter came to me with tears in her eyes and said that she is afraid that this will happen here.

“The last opportunity to study is now. Seeing my children has no power or strength … (that was) the most difficult for me. God alone knows what will happen to me and me.”