BLOGS
I was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: What would life have been like if the Taliban had never left?
Sometimes I close my eyes and review my life before the Taliban regime collapsed in 2000. I was a little girl, living with no electricity, no internet, no school, no social media, and no awareness of the world. Girls and women were not allowed to go to school. I had...
I was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: Back To School With Your Support
I planned to publish this blog on August 26th, which was a big day for me. Unfortunately, the chaos in Afghanistan shocked everyone, including my family and me. Every day is unpredictable for the Afghan people. No one knows what will happen tomorrow or one hour later....
The Taliban Contradictory Statements
The Taliban say that all Afghans who work for the US army will be safe after September 11, 2021, on the condition that those individuals deeply regret their past actions with the USA and do not leave the war-ravaged country. The reality is that thousands of male and...
I was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: Women’s Education Before, During, and After the Taliban Regime
For women, Afghanistan was once a different world, one with freedom and democracy. According to Amnesty International UK, Afghan women were first eligible to vote in 1919—only one year after women in the United Kingdom were given voting rights, and actually one year...
I was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: The Keys That Helped Me Escape a Child Marriage
Whenever I review my life, it seems like a story to me. My imagination and future dreams are part of me. I call my dreams my inner little girl. I always have a deep connection with this little girl. It is very joyful to see that little girl living her future....
I Was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: What if the Taliban Take Over Afghanistan Again?
After the shocking news in late February 2020 that the United States had signed a peace treaty with the Taliban, the US army began to make plans for departure from Afghanistan, now scheduled to be completed by September 11, 2021. Some officials believe that the...
I was a #ChildBride in #Afghanistan: My Childhood During the Taliban
There was a time when I was only 4 years old, when I was too scared to play outside with my friends. I used to steal my brother’s schoolbooks and pens and draw pictures. During the Taliban regime, he was able to go to school. Girls and women were deprived of an...
Ask Shagufa: What Is Child Marriage?
Before discussing how to end child marriage in developing countries such as Afghanistan, let’s define the meaning of child marriage: According to the 2020 UNICEF Report, child marriage is the practice of children under age 18 marrying in a formal ceremony or informal...
I Was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: My Dream towards the Land of Hope
One day my golf couch from Afghanistan invited me to participate with the Afghan team in another international tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He invited me to practice as part of the team! It was great news to reunite with the golf team after several years and enjoy...
I Was a Child Bride in Afghanistan: Time to Leave Bangladesh
My final semester at the Asian University in Bangladesh was the most hectic semester ever. I was worried about everything - studies, exams and my next journey. I did not know where I would go after graduation. I could not focus on studies, plans or my life. My mind...
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