The continued shutdown of wireless internet across several provinces of Afghanistan has plunged thousands of women and girls who rely on online education and employment into a new crisis. Expressing concern, they say the loss of their only window of hope has cast their lives and futures into darkness and uncertainty. Women voice these concerns at a time when, since the Taliban’s takeover, they have been barred from their jobs, and universities have been closed to them. Meanwhile, psychologists warn of the psychological consequences of prolonged internet restrictions, saying this situation could lead to heightened feelings of hopelessness, frustration, lack of motivation, and persistent anxiety.
Several women and girls who work or study online told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the disruption of fiber-optic internet has brought their activities to a complete halt.
Uranus Azizi (pseudonym), a working woman who runs an online store and provides remote services to her customers, is also among the students who, due to the educational restrictions imposed by the Taliban, could not continue her studies and is now seeking online education. She says the internet is her only window of hope, through which she pursues her dreams.
Azizi says, “All my hope is tied to the internet. I both run my business through it, use it for studying, and rely on it as a bridge to connect with friends and for leisure.”
She adds, “When I heard the news, I was truly shocked and very upset. This is a serious problem that has left us hopeless. All the girls whose only hope was to study or work are now at risk of losing even that small opportunity. This is a great despair, and it needs serious attention.”
Mina Ahmadzai (pseudonym), a student who attends online language courses, expressed concern, saying that continuing education without Wi-Fi is extremely difficult. She adds, “I am very worried. I have heard that Wi-Fi has also been cut in Kandahar and Nimruz provinces. This has made me even more anxious, because our online lessons and education are entirely dependent on the internet. Without internet access, we can neither attend classes, complete our assignments, nor even communicate with teachers and classmates.”
This student stresses that for many girls, the internet is their only bridge to the outside world and their sole hope for a better future. She emphasizes that if this situation continues, all her efforts will be wasted.
Bahar Sadat, another student, says that after much effort, she finally managed to enroll in an online program at a university in the United States. She adds that online education is a flicker of hope for her to achieve her goals and aspirations, but she says the internet shutdown could jeopardize even this opportunity.
She explains: “When I learned that internet service had been cut in Mazar-e-Sharif, and that the entire country might face shutdowns in the coming days, I became very anxious and distressed. As a girl who completed high school but was prevented by Taliban restrictions from continuing at universities inside the country, this new measure could take away even this small chance.”
Sadat adds: “Like me, many girls in Afghanistan were studying through these platforms and working toward their futures. Now all of them may again be left without a path forward, and none of us knows what the Taliban will decide next to push our lives and destinies into deeper uncertainty and fear.”
Meanwhile, several psychologists stress that cutting internet access and eliminating educational and employment opportunities for women and girls leads to feelings of demotivation, hopelessness, and frustration.
Psychologist Rizwana Rahimi explains that in the current situation—where women’s educational, professional, and recreational activities are heavily dependent on the internet—its sudden disruption can cause depression and persistent anxiety.
She emphasizes: “If the internet shutdown continues, its psychological consequences will include intensified feelings of despair and lack of motivation. When a girl, already deprived of in-person classes, is also prevented from attending online classes, she feels that her bright future has vanished and sees no future at all.”
Rahimi further notes: “Another effect is increased anxiety and stress. Those who are employed or constantly rely on the internet for work, education, or even entertainment develop a kind of dependency on it. When internet service is suddenly cut off, they experience continuous anxiety and feel left behind.”
Broad restrictions on internet access will have serious economic, educational, and social consequences, because after the Taliban’s takeover and the imposition of restrictions on women’s employment and education, many of them turned to online study and work.
Previously, Reuters, citing Ookla—a company that collects information about internet speeds worldwide—reported that Afghanistan ranks among the countries with the slowest internet in the world.
The Taliban have currently cut fiber-optic internet in Balkh, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Zabul, and Nimruz provinces.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
