“I was forced to sell our last household items to buy some bread for my children”

“I am Hajar, a mother of seven children. Originally from Khost Province, we have been living in Kabul for the past seven years.  

We have faced numerous challenges, especially from my brother-in-law, a known member of the Khost Taliban militia. My brother-in-law always encouraged my eldest son, telling him he should become a mujahid. He enrolled my son in an educational institution.  

After a while, I realized that my brother-in-law was using my son, making him a spy and informant against government officials. My son was spying on government officials in Khost, providing information to my brother-in-law, and then they would eliminate that government official. 

My brother-in-law had brainwashed my son, and my repeated advice had no effect. So, I decided to move to Kabul to keep my son away from his uncle. Amid fighting and chaos, I finally managed to convince my son to come with us to Kabul after a few weeks. After settling in Kabul, my son’s mental state and thinking improved. He found work at a metal workshop and had no further contact with the Taliban.  

We rented an old house in Kabul, and I worked as a teacher in one of Kabul’s schools, leading a decent life. However, this happiness and peace did not last long.  

After my son refused to cooperate with his uncle and said he would no longer work with him, his uncle came to Kabul, inviting him to a gathering at Qargha Dam. On that day in 2019, while swimming, he shot my son in the head, killing him. Although we knew it was his uncle’s doing, we couldn’t say anything.  

After this incident, in 2020, my husband was injured in a suicide attack and he lost both his legs.  

When I moved from Khost to Kabul, I started working as a teacher at a girls’ school, managing some of our financial difficulties with a monthly income of 7,000 afghanis. However, after August 2021 and the closure of girls’ schools, I became unemployed. My five daughters are also without direction, unable to attend school or receive any education. 

I urge the global community to support us and to put pressure on the Taliban to recognize women’s rights officially, allowing my daughters to study and fulfill their dreams. The international community should pressure the Taliban to follow the path of humanity.”