Atifa Rezai

Here, a woman lives by the decisions of others. Though this land has carried bitter pasts, life still moved forward, and people lived with goals and dreams. But three years ago, all those dreams were shattered. It was the night I woke up to the announcement that universities were closing. I felt hopeless, but this time, the hopelessness was different. It was a problem larger than my strength, one I couldn’t solve alone. This wasn’t like economic struggles, family issues, or academic stress. Suddenly, tears streamed down my face, and I whispered, “This can’t be real.”

I had worked so hard to get into university. My struggles were incomparable to others’. I searched everywhere, hoping it was false, but the news was true: girls were no longer allowed to attend university.

Being a woman in Afghanistan has never been easy. Throughout history, the women of this land have endured immense oppression and injustice, cruelty rooted in ignorance, never justified. Now, in this era, my generation suffers once again: the depression of abandoned dreams, hopelessness, an uncertain future, dark thoughts, economic hardship, and the denial of our right to speak, to go outside, to freedom, to equality. All of this oppression has been forced upon us at once.

We fought hard for change and progress, yet we’ve been pushed backward. Today, we feel alone. That the world has closed its eyes to this incomprehensible injustice is devastating. I don’t know the solution, but surely there are better ways to address these problems than sacrificing the strong women of this land to politics.

We want to live, not just survive. Sadness and pity are not enough. This is bigger than grief, it’s about the future of an entire generation. This may be my country’s problem, but we all know we are not alone in this world. Today, the world is a small village, and we affect one another. That the women of this land remain isolated in this time is beyond belief.

About the Author:
Atifa Rezai, writing under the pen name Rezai, is a Dari writer passionate about essays, analysis, and storytelling. Writing has been her solace for over four years, inspired by personal and societal realities. Though unpublished, her work has been used in education, and she aims to write in English for a global reach. Facing restrictions on free expression, she believes in writing’s power to create change and seeks support to refine her craft and gain recognition.