On the 15th of August 2021, Taliban forces marched through Kabul, culminating a sweeping offensive, capturing 33 of the country’s 34 provinces in 9 days. In the initial days, the Taliban’s policies were relatively modest, allowing girls to attend primary schools and universities.

However, the Taliban’s government began introducing further restrictions on women, shutting them out of secondary schools and universities, and banning their employment. The decisions made by the Taliban were heavily criticised by both Afghans and the international community. Even some influential Taliban leaders came forward and criticised the decision of banning girls’ schools. A rare occurrence given