: ‘What Will Happen When the World Looks Away?’ An Afghan Teacher on How the World Can Protect Girls From the Taliban #WorldNEWS Pashtana Durrani knows that she is on the Taliban’s radar.

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‘What Will Happen When the World Looks Away?’ An Afghan Teacher on How the World Can Protect Girls From the Taliban #WorldNEWS
Pashtana Durrani knows that she is on the Taliban’s radar. The 23-year-old teacher has been fiercely advocating for girls education since the group started making advances in Afghanistan after the U. S. announced it would withdraw troops from the country by Aug. 31. But despite being told that she is not safe, Durrani is staying put.
“I didn’t leave because I just felt like it’s my responsibility to do right by my people,” she says. “This is not just about me. This is about the girls of Afghanistan. ”
On Aug. 15, the Taliban took control of Afghanistans capital 20 years after being ousted from power, triggering a chaotic rush to the Kabul airport as foreign citizens and many Afghans tried to flee the country. Even though the Taliban has promised to respect the rights of women and religious minorities this time, many remain skeptical given its brutal history of oppression. According to Human Rights Watch, schools have been shut down and women have been forced to leave their jobs by Taliban commanders in many provinces.
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READ MORE: What Afghanistan’s Women Stand to Lose
Durrani has been in hiding since her hometown Kandahar, the country’s second largest city, fell to the Taliban on Aug. 13. However, she insisted on showing her face when she spoke to TIME about life under the Taliban. She also explained why she is risking her safety to speak up, and how the international community can rally to keep the Taliban accountable.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
What is the situation on the ground now and what are you hearing from people?
Things are calmer. But there are challenges. Banks are closed, for example. And that makes it difficult to respond to the needs of the community.
It also becomes suffocating every time you have to worry about your own security. The women that I am in touch with are either too scared to go out at the moment, or are hiding like me. The people I talked to, the girls that I talked to, they say, Our dreams, our goals, theyre all gone, everything is gone.
Why are you advocating for schools to open?
I grew up in a family that loved teaching. The importance of learning and teaching was subconsciously nurtured in me. That is why I am resisting so much.
There are some things that you give up on and there are things that you just dont. Girls’ education right now is that red line. Women’s working rights are the red lines that are important. We have to make sure that this time, no child is left out, so that in the future, they dont have to make a choice of taking up arms just because they didnt have a job opportunity.

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