A Heart-breaking and Rocky Road: Update on Women Scholars
September 2023
Hadia Khalil (Class of 2022), earned a 4.0 GPA average, the highest among all FEDAA Scholars.
Women’s education throughout Afghanistan received a major setback this year as female students were denied access to higher education.
For the 2022 academic year, FEDAA took great strides towards gender equality by awarding an equal number of scholarships to both female and male candidates marking a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity.
This process was not without challenges. Due to safety concerns, female students often felt compelled to be accompanied by male family escorts when moving about in public. This restriction posed significant difficulties for them in pursuing their studies, as it complicated their schedules and limited their access to campus computers and facilities. Despite these constraints, the students demonstrated remarkable resilience and successfully completed the first term with excellent results.
Unfortunately, at the beginning of the second semester, education faced an epic setback when a governmental ruling denied women access to higher education. This decision is devastating, but the students remain determined to learn despite the inconvenience and hardship they face.
FEDAA’s Board has assured women scholars that their scholarships remain intact and will be made available to them once the ruling is reversed. Further, when the barriers to education are lifted, FEDAA intends to increase the number of scholarships for women in order to maintain its goal of a 50/50 ratio between male and female allotted scholarships.
Despite challenges and setbacks, the spirit of learning and determination among the students remains strong. We greatly appreciate your encouragement, dedication, and continued support during these difficult times and remain hopeful that we can foster a truly inclusive and empowering educational environment for all in the near future.
Hadia with her family.
Listen to Bashir’s view on women’s education.
