Note: Wazhma Tokhi, an Afghan women’s rights activist, worked primarily on girls’ education in southern Afghanistan before the fall of the republic. She studied political science and law and was recognized as a social activist in her community even before graduating from school. Her pre-fall activities mostly focused on creating educational opportunities for children, especially girls. Born in Zabul province, she kept the light of knowledge alive in a region overshadowed by extremism and fought for women’s and girls’ rights.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: When you learned that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan had fallen, how believable was this event to you?
Tokhi: That day is recorded as a black page in my life. I was in Kabul, working at the central office, planning programs on women’s rights and social justice for the coming month. Our Kandahar office had been closed due to deteriorating security and the successive fall of southern cities, and all colleagues had been relocated to Kabul.
When the news of the fall was released, I did not want to believe it. I told myself it was impossible that the Taliban had entered Kabul because even imagining it was hard. But a few minutes later, the office director came with a worried face and said, “Take the computers and documents and go home… Kabul has fallen.”
“At that moment, I felt like years of my efforts, the struggle for women’s progress, and thousands of hopes had all been lost. Everyone was silent, but inside me, a storm was raging. I said: ‘We did not just lose a city; we lost our future.’”
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: Personally, as an Afghan woman, what did you lose with the fall of the republic?
Tokhi: The greatest asset I lost forever was the free space where women could build themselves through education, work, and social participation, serve their country, and take control of their destiny. I lost my country—the very soil where I grew up and was proud to serve. I lost my job, my right to work in my homeland, and the golden opportunities I had worked hard for years to achieve. The fall of the republic was not just a political change but the collapse of dreams, hopes, and the dignity of thousands of girls.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: What pains you the most?
Tokhi: My greatest regret is that thousands of girls and women who worked hard for education and advancement are now confined to their homes, deprived of the right to live. Achievements forged with people’s sacrifice and global support turned to ashes in just a few days. I still see the faces of those young girls who studied eagerly and hopefully, but today their books lie buried under dust, and their voices are silenced by pressure.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: A few women like you have managed to escape the largest prison for women, called Afghanistan, but for four years, Afghan girls and women remain chained by Taliban restrictions. As a woman now living abroad, how do you view the struggle of Afghan women inside the country?
Tokhi: “The women of Afghanistan today are the bravest fighters and undefeated heroines in the world. They face restrictions, fear, and threats every day, yet they continue to raise their voices for their rights. This is not just a struggle for survival but an endless battle for identity, dignity, and future; a fight without weapons but stronger than any weapon. Every effort by an Afghan woman, whether writing with a pen or holding a secret class, sends a clear message to the world: We will not be silenced, and we will stand until we reclaim our rights.”
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: The Taliban justify depriving girls of education by citing religion and culture. Many accuse the Taliban of portraying people, especially in remote areas, as opposed to girls’ education. As a women’s rights activist and a resident of the South, how much do you accept this claim?
Tokhi: I completely reject that claim. Our culture is not the enemy of knowledge, nor is our religion the enemy of education. It is only the Taliban’s ideology that wants to keep women silent and hidden. I have personally seen in the south that mothers send and still send their daughters to my classes, even despite the dangers. People want a bright, educated future for their daughters—not darkness.
I think the Taliban only use culture and religion as excuses to prevent girls’ education because they know that a literate mother will not give birth to a Taliban [Taliban militant]. As a resident of Zabul and the south, I have seen that families want education for their daughters; the people are not truly against education—the obstacles come from the Taliban, who have closed the path.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: How much coordination exists among Afghan women activists abroad to defend women’s rights?
Tokhi: Coordination exists, but it needs to be stronger. Each of us fights in different ways; some through the media, some through international organizations, and some through civil society. But the goal is one: to restore women’s rights and open the doors of education to every child. The world must hear our voice as the voice of one nation and stand by us.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: Why have women’s struggles not yet produced significant results?
Tokhi: Because we are not just facing an extremist group, but a major political deal is underway. Often, women’s rights are used as bargaining chips at international tables, not as human values. If women’s right to education were a real “red line,” the Taliban would not have been able to deprive girls of education for so long.
Another reason is that the international community has mostly relied on declarations and verbal support. Women’s rights are often sacrificed in political games, and this is a major obstacle to our struggle.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: Do you also think women’s rights are no longer a red line for the international community?
Tokhi: In words, maybe yes, but in practice, no. If it were truly a “red line,” the world would exert serious pressure on the Taliban. The lack of serious action shows that women’s rights are not a political priority. That is why I always emphasize that we, the people of Afghanistan, must unite, put aside our differences, and stand as one voice for the country’s future. If we stand together for women’s rights, freedom of education, and human dignity, no force can break our will. The future changes when we light the torch of change.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: How do you see the future of girls in Afghanistan?
Tokhi: Without serious international pressure, regional coordination, and support for the tireless struggle of Afghan women, the future of girls will remain chained in darkness. But I believe oppression is not permanent, and one day our daughters will open their books again and walk toward the light.
However, these hopes will only come true if we, the people of Afghanistan, unite as one family. This is our country, our future, and our responsibility to open the path of light for our daughters and sons. If we unite our voices, no power can extinguish the light of our future.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily: What is your message to Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule?
Tokhi: My sisters and daughters, you are not alone. Although they want to silence your voice, break your pen, and kill your dreams, knowledge and hope are powers no one can take from you. Study, even if in secret, because your knowledge is your resistance; the brightest star in the darkness that will guide the next generation. Remember, every word you learn, every book you open, and every thought you light in your mind is a step toward freedom. History will write your story of courage, and the world will understand that Afghan women are never defeated.
You can read the Persian version of this interview here:
گفتوگو با وژمه توخی؛ «طالبان میدانند مادر باسواد، طالب نمیزاید»
