“Our whole life has changed. Now, we are working underground”

Marzia (not her real name) was working as a Gender-based Violence Officer at a crisis centre in one of Kabul’s public hospitals before the Taliban took power in August of 2021. Today, she has to continue her work in hiding, without being able to promote the centres services, and while the need has grown. She is not allowed to share her story, so we are doing it for her during the 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

“There is a huge difference between now and then. We have had to change the centre’s name and we cannot disclose that it attends to people experiencing gender-based violence. Instead, we have to say it is a ‘social centre’. 

My job is the same as it was before August, but the difference is that now I do not disclose what my job is – not even to the survivors. We continue trying to help them with medical and psychosocial activities. Previously, everyone could be told what the centre does and about the services we offer. 

No one knows about the centre, not even the management of the hospital, as they are Taliban themselves. We have had so many cases about the Taliban coming to our centre. There are also many cases of gender-based violence, but they are not being officially referred to the centres.

There are so many restrictions on women. Especially after the Taliban takeover, all women think about what they have learned, and how now they cannot achieve their dreams. Personally, I think about all the years I studied and got an education and feel that they have been wasted after what happened in August of 2021.

I feel the loss of identity and of education. I wanted to work in a good international non-governmental organization. It was my dream. In the past, I was studying and had a dream of pursuing higher education. But now, women cannot work and universities are closed. I was studying an English degree at university, but since it closed, women are now left sitting at home. 

But I still work, clandestinely. We continue working to support Afghan women, however we can. There are a lot of challenges, especially in my field of work.

With this regime in power, there is no hope for the future of women in this country. But if the Government changes, there will be some hope. 

There should be scholarships available for those who want to study, and work for women who need support. Everyone should try to find a way to support Afghan women by providing employment. The international community should not stop their support and try to provide employment to Afghan women and men.” 

Marzia's story and those of more than 50 other women currently living in Afghanistan can be found on the After August website. Their names and locations have been changed for their protection. This collection of true stories documenting the lives of Afghan women is a collaboration between UN Women Afghanistan, Zan Times, Limbo and independent storytellers. It aims to raise awareness and incite an international audience to reflect and, hopefully, to act.