Advancing Women's Higher Education in Afghanistan
- Mar 31, 2021
- 2 min read
by Lynn University
University students in Kabul listen to a lecture (Photo: UNDP Afghanistan)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities have sought to keep students engaged remotely and Lynn University, a UNAI member institution in the United States, has used its Social Impact Lab to empower students to continue contributing to their communities while studying away from campus.
Partnering with Women Forward International (WFI) and through its University Client-based Research and Implementation Lynn University became involved in a project with the Afghan Institute for Learning (AIL) to design a women’s only university curriculum in Afghanistan.
Lynn’s student team is made up of three students who are helping to develop a forward-thinking curriculum that will place Afghan women at the frontlines of change.
The student team works closely with a research team in Afghanistan comprised of doctoral candidates, all under the guidance of Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, long-time women’s rights activist and founder of the Afghan Institute of Learning. Their voice and expertise are fundamental in developing a holistic curriculum that will serve the everyday needs of Afghan women.
The students’ research takes into consideration the changing political, social and economic landscape of the country and looks at what the future holds for women’s personal and professional development. It aims to develop skills-based learning outcomes that will provide women the necessary knowledge to fill job vacancies across a variety of fields in Afghanistan. “We want to offer quality education that not only transforms but empowers women,” said Dr. Yacoobi. “The women that leave our university upon graduation will not only be able to immediately serve their community but also obtain employment in fields that will benefit them greatly,” she added.
Students are currently in the research phase compiling data on future jobs for women in Afghanistan, as well as information on existing curricula in Afghan universities. Once the research phase is complete, the students in the United States will be able to develop a creative, innovative and purposeful curriculum thanks to the partnership with the Afghan research team. Lynn University’s student team leader, Lima Sarhadi, is an Afghan woman herself and said that this is an important project because it “seeks to shift the cultural mindset and empower Afghan women through quality education.”
According to the concept program of the Higher Education Development Project in Afghanistan that is being carried out by the World Bank, in this country “the conflict and the ensuing political and cultural environment had a negative impact on higher education attainment among women. … Consequently, the female higher education enrollment rate in Afghanistan, which stands at only 1% of the age cohort, appears to be the lowest proportion among all countries.”
“The quantity of female graduates in the country needs to increase in the interests of gender equity and the empowerment of women,” the document adds. Dr. Antonella Regueiro, Social Impact Faculty Fellow at Lynn University, highlighted that this project “provides real-world and practical experiences for the students and they will be to say they have helped develop a women’s university in Afghanistan, something invaluable for them.”
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This initiative by Lynn University and the Afghan Institute of Learning is truly inspiring, as it highlights how collaborative, action-oriented research can directly address the systemic barriers to women's education in conflict zones. By developing a curriculum specifically tailored to empower Afghan women and prepare them for meaningful professional roles, this project provides a vital roadmap for sustainable social change; it serves as a powerful reminder that education, when designed with such deliberate care, can be a tool for liberation. Just as this project requires a deep understanding of complex cultural and economic landscapes, many environmental advocacy groups emphasize that a holistic approach is necessary for sustainability, often prompting people to ask, "what does daforest stand for" in the context…
This article provides such a powerful look at the resilience and determination of Afghan women who, despite facing immense systemic barriers, continue to push for their right to education and a brighter future. It is truly heartening to see initiatives like this, which emphasize that empowering women through quality education is the most sustainable path toward long-term peace and national development. Personally, I’ve found that even when managing my own demanding schedule as a student, seeing the dedication of others in such challenging circumstances is incredibly grounding; it has made me appreciate the resources available to me, including services like New Assignment Help, which allow me to stay focused on my academic goals while juggling a busy life. I hope…
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