Resisting Education Restrictions
Amongst the sweltering heat of Kabul, a collective of young Afghan women are discreetly resisting the Taliban’s prohibition on female higher education. Dubbed as “Voices of Hope,” the group comprises erstwhile computer science students who will not give up their aspirations despite being prohibited from entering universities for the last three years.
The bans, introduced in December 2022, followed almost a year since the Taliban came back to power, closing down schooling for women above the age of 12. For them, a stroll through the park is prohibited but in the secrecy of their homes, they have fashioned an undisclosed space to learn, work together, and mess about with technology.
We wanted to preserve the light of hope within our hearts and keep on learning about AI,” stated 25-year-old group leader Asrar Parsa. She and 20 fellow classmates first resorted to online learning resources to pursue further study, eventually having a small group devoted to working on robotics and artificial intelligence projects.
Developing Skills and Resilience
In two years, the group has undertaken several projects, such as constructing two robots from scratch, for around $430 paid for by themselves. One of the robots can identify 20 things, including people, and can be operated from a distance using four applications. Plans include creating a drone to perform useful tasks like the delivery of emergency medication or taking things around Kabul.
With the Taliban limiting women from venturing out alone, the team must count on Asrar’s brother Navid Parsa, a 28-year-old computer science graduate, to go out for errands and deliver materials.
While the group started with 20 members, economic hardships and despair forced 14 to drop out. Those who stayed, like 19-year-old Hadiya Ahmadi, say the work has helped them cope with depression and anxiety caused by the shutdown of universities. “Seeing the results of our work makes us happy. It makes us feel that our education isn’t over yet,” she said.
These gatherings are not just about technical skills they provide a rare outlet for mental and emotional relief in a society where women’s voices are often silenced. “When we’re together, it feels like not everything is lost,” Asrar said.
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Inspiration Amid Isolation
The group takes cues from the “Afghan Dreamers,” a robotics team created in 2017 that made headlines globally. When the Taliban placed curbs on women, members of the Afghan Dreamers emigrated so that they could work abroad.
Unlike their forebears, Voices of Hope has not seen any support from outside agencies. Nevertheless, they are intent on demonstrating their projects internationally and continue to pursue chances to expand.
The Taliban, under the leadership of Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, have rejected global condemnation of their policies as “pointless” and remain adamant that education must be strictly based on their version of Sharia law. They have, however, never talked about lifting the ban on women being denied education or employment, and so groups such as Voices of Hope have had to devise ways of their own of going after their goals in the shadows.
For Asrar, Hadiya, and the rest of the team, messing around with AI, robots, and online classes is not just a technical challenge it is a rebellion, a hope, and a resilience. “We still have the power to learn and grow,” Asrar said, referencing the mission of the group to resist limitations and hold on to the dream of education for women in Afghanistan.
