Girls are the victims in every situation. Girls and women have always been under mental pressure in Afghanistan. After the Taliban returned in 2021, most of the mental pressure was inflicted towards girls. They are harmed from every side, they are banned from academic and work places. They are not counted as part of the community. After the Taliban came, the mental health condition of girls became terrible. Girls have been struck with depression, anxiety, and fear which all have an impact on future generations.
First, anxiety and fear coincided with the Taliban returning. When the Taliban came in 2021, the worries began. Girls face constant fear about their future, education, freedom, lifestyle and all those things regarding their lives. Girls have fear about their education and eventually becoming housewives in spite of doing their best and trying hard. For instance, I, as an Afghanistani girl, whenever I think about my education and how girls are behind their contemporaries, I feel hopeless and nervous. Another fear which girls have is their security; they worry about their freedom, and they feel fear of molestation. In short, girls have been faced with fear of their education, freedom and personal security.
Next, depression is counted as a big mental health problem in the Taliban government for girls. Missing education, freedom, job, social interaction, and feeling powerless have led to depression for girls. When girls think about their deprivation and isolation, they get depressed. Since the Taliban have governed Afghanistan, depression has grown among girls all around Afghanistan. For example, I have depression, but it is not always severe. At night, when I think about our situation, I cry a lot. Now, I have no goal, no dream, no motivation and nothing to live with. I am only surviving. This is the result of Taliban rules and regulations. Depression is getting more common among girls in Afghanistan, and if the situation continues like this, there will be a community full of diseases.
Finally, illiteracy, ignorance and long- term mental health problems on girls today will have a dangerous effect on future generations. As girls today are future mothers, the problems mentioned above can affect their children as well. These problems can lead to a very weak and diseased society. Forcing girls to follow these rules has a great impact on future generations.
In summary, the mental health problem for girls in Afghanistan is worrying. The combination of fear, isolation, depression and anxiety lead to a weak society. Girls in Afghanistan face severe challenges which lead to mental as well as physical distress. Let’s join hands to release Afghanistan from injustice and create a more humanitarian world.
– Rahima
Letter received from our students participating in our Mentorship program. Name and text altered for protection of our students and for grammatical changes.
