Afghanistan: "Life was so beautiful when I would go to school"

The Taliban's decision to ban women from attending midwifery and nursing courses ends their last hope of gaining an education. When the Taliban returned to take control of Afghanistan in 2021 it imposed a hardline vision of Islamic rule – but there was some hope, that perhaps, women and girls’ education would be spared. However, girls were soon barred from attending school and university - leaving only the option to attend nursing and midwifery courses. Now, that choice has been taken away, making Afghanistan the only country in the world that explicitly stops women from being educated. On today's episode, Azadeh Moshiri speaks to a 20-year-old woman we are keeping unnamed to protect her safety. She was training to be a midwife and has now lost her last route to education. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Beth Timmins, Annie Brown and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineer: Mike RegaardAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: Sara Wadeson