Introduction by Croakey: Online coding courses have become a pathway to learning and employment for many women in Afghanistan who have been banned from education and employment under the Taliban rule since 2021, according to articles below by researcher Isabelle Zhu-Maguire and Arezo, a senior university student in Afghanistan.
Arezo, who is under state-sanctioned lockdown and banned from finishing her Bachelors degree, has completed three online courses on coding and information technology since 2021.
Zhu-Maguire, PhD candidate at the Coral Bell School of Asia and Pacific Affairs, Department of International Relations within the Australian National University, writes that several international non-profits and universities have been offering free online courses in coding, English language, and other topics to support women continue education while under lockdown.
According to UNESCO, in the first three years of Taliban rule, 1.4 million girls over the age of 12 were “deliberately denied access to secondary education”. UNESCO has been working with its partners to develop alternative modes of learning.
In the first article below, Zhu-Maguire reports on some of the human rights violations in Afghanistan since 2021, as well as challenges women face in accessing online education.
In the second article, Arezo (whose full name is not provided to protect her identity) shares her experience of learning how to code and her hopes for the future.
Moving forward
Isabelle Zhu-Maguire writes:
Since the Taliban took over governance in Afghanistan in 2021, prosperity, human development and women’s rights have gone backwards.
Poverty has increased substantially – in 2023, 28.8 million Afghans were in ‘urgent need of support’, marking an increase of nearly 60 percent compared to the previous year, according to the International Rescue Committee.
Last year, the United Nations Development Programme reported Afghanistan’s Human Development Index has been knocked back ten years. Some people have become so desperate for income that they have succumbed to selling their children.
Punitive rules and punishments have also gone backwards. As of 2024, the Taliban has confirmed that it has brought back public floggings and stoning, in particular for punishing women.
Women in Afghanistan are denied by law from engaging in education, being employed, or even reciting poetry out loud. Most women live in a state-induced lockdown where leaving the home without a male companion is punishable. Afghanistan currently globally ranks last in terms of women’s rights.
However, we must acknowledge that many people in Afghanistan, especially women, do not want to go backwards – they want to go forward.
My friend Arezo, a woman living in Afghanistan, has been denied the opportunity to finish her Bachelors degree since Taliban’s rule.
Arezo and I have known each other since the Fall of Kabul in 2021. We met through a program in which we were paired due to our similar academic interests and we worked together to write an essay on the economy of Afghanistan. Since then, she has written and published many other essays on climate change, the Sustainable Development Goals, and gender.
Like many other young Afghan women, particularly those living in major cities, Arezo has found passion and intrigue in learning how to code. Since 2021, and being under state-induced lockdown, Arezo has completed three online courses on coding and information technology.
International non-profits and universities have been offering free online courses in coding, English language, and even poetry to support women in undergoing education while under lockdown.
The Afghan women see coding as their ticket to joining international workforces – an opportunity to learn a skill that will allow them to engage with the rest of the world. Arezo told me that the application process for these coding programs were competitive, with sometimes hundreds of women applying for only a few dozen places.
However, there are some issues with these sorts of programs. Most women engaged with these coding programs are embarking on learning this new skill because they are looking for employment and further education. But, the courses are rarely officially certified or recognised. It should also be noted that some Afghan women face challenges accessing this education patching – software updates in educational institutions – and expensive internet access.
Arezo tells me that she hopes to restart her Bachelor’s degree, but this time in computer science. She hopes to be employed in meaningful work where she is able to use her knowledge of both economics and coding. But, she tells me that overall she hopes the situation in her home country changes and that all women and girls can get back to education and employment.
Below, Arezo shares her story about moving forward in Afghanistan while it is trying to hold her back.
Beacon of hope
Arezo writes:
For women deprived of education, entering the world of coding can feel like discovering a wonderland, especially for those interested in technology and programming languages. In Afghanistan, coding has become a beacon of hope for many girls who are confined to their homes but free to explore the internet and the world of coding, allowing them to create and shape whatever they desire.
With the rapid development of technology, many have found inspiration in learning and working remotely, breaking barriers – myself included. In response to restrictions, numerous universities and organisations have aligned to support girls and women in Afghanistan, offering various coding programs. Many students learn about these opportunities through social media channels, scholarship groups, and friends.
Entering a coding program isn’t overly challenging, especially for those familiar with computer basics. However, these free coding courses require constant passion and enthusiasm for learning, as well as the drive to use newfound knowledge to solve real-world problems.
Learning coding online is similar to other online educational experiences. For instance, if you’re taking a university course, you might use platforms like Canvas to watch lectures and submit assignments. Similarly, if you’re learning through an organisation or other resources, it might be via official web pages. Remember, these free coding courses are limited, and students are carefully selected based on their applications – it is important to take care when completing an application.
Hitting the start button is the most important step in beginning a new course. Being disciplined and determined is key to success, including in learning coding, which involves understanding computer and programming languages. This discipline and determination provide a path of hope for many girls denied an education. I know some girls who are active in their coding studies and have even started earning from their work.
I believe that women’s involvement in technology, particularly in coding, represents a significant reform in women’s careers, especially in [developing] countries. It creates a beacon of hope for many young girls and women eager to see themselves on a successful path, not only in a unidimensional world but in the expansive realm of technology and computers.
I hope to restart my Bachelor’s degree and get employment using my knowledge both in economics and computer science. However, I really hope that the situation would change in Afghanistan, and all girls and women could find their education and work rights back.
About the authors
Isabelle Zhu-Maguire is a PhD candidate at the Coral Bell School of Asia and Pacific Affairs, Department of International Relations within the Australian National University. Her thesis investigates the ways in which Australia listens and responds to the climate advocacy of Pacific Island Nations.
She has conducted extensive research into the experiences of women in Afghanistan and their perspectives and realities living through conflict, oppression, and climate change. She has been an advocate for greater youth inclusion within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
She writes the Pacific Islands focus column at Croakey.
Arezo is a senior student in a university in Afghanistan, majoring in finance and banking. After more restrictions on women and university closures, she began helping Afghan girls deprived of education by providing online English classes. She has experience in management and administration, and has taken some Data Science, HTML, CSS, Python courses.
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