After Escaping the Taliban, Afghan Women Face New Education Barrier in the United States

This article was originally published by Newsweek.

When I came to the United States as an Afghan refugee in 2011, my biggest dream was to finish my education. Within three months, I had a full-time job and was taking classes at a local college. Now, Afghan women who came here following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal and evacuation from Afghanistan share this same dream. But they are facing a significant barrier: many cannot access in-state tuition, regardless of how long they are residents in their new state.

The Taliban's recent decision to ban women from attending university puts the importance of this issue into stark relief.

As an Afghan woman and a refugee, access to an education in the United States changed my life. I have been able to pursue a degree in public health, and I hope to start a PhD program. Five years ago, I founded Elena's Light, an organization that helps refugees and other newcomers advance their lives. I work closely with Afghan women who were evacuated here in the wake of the Taliban takeover of our country. Some of these women were teachers, lawyers, or judges in Afghanistan. They survived decades of Taliban rule and limits on their education and public lives. They are eager to finish their education and restart their careers in a country that has offered them a new life. Their contributions to U.S. society can be unlimited if only we unlock access to higher education.

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