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Unyielding Hope: Afghan Youth’s Struggle for Peace and Education Amidst Turmoil

25/07/2024

By Aisha Khurram

It is easy to succumb to hopelessness regarding peace, especially when confronted with headlines about Afghanistan, the failed peace process, and the return of the Taliban to power. These events might suggest that peace is a lost cause in the country. However, the question isn’t whether peacemaking is still a priority—it’s a necessity in Afghanistan today.

Generations of Afghans have endured conflict and war. My grandmother survived the Cold War, raising my mother under Soviet bombs. My mother was forced to flee during the first Taliban rule in the 1990s, and I fled during their second rule just two and a half years ago. That makes three generations in my family alone experiencing war and displacement. My generation inherited this conflict; we didn’t start it, yet we became the machinery for leaders on both sides.

Four years ago, I represented Afghan youth at the United Nations Security Council, coinciding with the start of the Afghan peace process after four decades of war. Historically, we were passive receivers of agendas, fuelling wars led by politicians who never bore the consequences. We decided to claim our future, demanding not just a seat at the table but the right to end a war that wasn’t ours and to define our future on our own terms. We saw movements where young people spoke up for themselves, demanding an end to the war and attempting to integrate with young Taliban members to initiate grassroots peace processes.

However, the international community and negotiating parties treated the peace process as a mere project. Our voices were heard but not listened to. Politicians ignored our fears, leaving another disaster for my generation to deal with. After 20 years, the Taliban are back, and Afghanistan is globally isolated. It is the only country where girls are banned from education, unfolding a gender apartheid before our eyes. The lack of education access, not just for girls but for many boys due to poverty and Taliban restrictions, can turn Afghanistan into a serious threat to regional and global peace and security.

Four years ago, during the peace process, Europe and the US were involved. They not only dropped the ball but kicked it away, abandoning the democratic values they preached to Afghans. This failure is evident today as Afghanistan faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The education crisis is just the tip of the iceberg, with the country grappling with severe humanitarian needs amidst global indifference due to emerging crises elsewhere, like Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Palestine.

Despite the challenges, resilience and courage emerged among young Afghans, driven by necessity rather than glorification. Even during the Republic, suicide bombings were our daily reality. My university and school were attacked, yet we persisted. In 2020, terrorists attacked my university, killing 22 students. A week later, we returned to the same classrooms, painted over the bloodstains, and continued our exams, embodying the hope for peace through education. This resilience highlights the crucial link between education and peace. Ignoring the necessity for peace amidst Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, prioritising food and water over education, risks a catastrophe that could take decades to reverse.

To hold governments and politicians accountable, we must leverage the growing dynamic, particularly in Europe, where the Israeli-Palestinian crisis has exposed the gap in peace perspectives between older and younger generations. Young people, regardless of religion, have united in protests, demanding an end to war and true peace. This is not just a series of protests but a global movement of young people demanding structural changes to end atrocities and violence. Until leaders take decisions with empathy, justice, and a commitment to human rights, the generational gap will widen, and cries for change will grow louder.

Regarding opening dialogue with the Taliban, it’s a complex question. Engaging with the government is necessary to support the population, help women, and develop projects. Four years ago, dialogue was opened with the Taliban when US national interests were at stake. Today, despite Afghan women being deprived of basic rights and people dying from impoverishment, there’s hesitation to explore political negotiations. While international monetary sanctions are important and should continue, we must also consider political engagement to pressure the Taliban.

Political negotiation could address the root causes of Afghanistan’s crisis, but we must also support underground movements of students and young women dedicated to democracy and freedom. Instead of waiting for a political solution, we can empower those committed to the cause of democracy and freedom, ensuring that their efforts contribute to a brighter future for Afghanistan.

Aisha Khurram is former Afghan youth representative to the UN 2019 and the director of E-learning initiative in Afghanistan