Five years have passed since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the collapse of the government in August 2021. During this time, over 60,000 Afghan refugees have found sanctuary in Canada.
Among these refugees is Farkhunda Hashimy, who, along with her family, arrived in Saskatoon in 2023 and has since been embracing her newfound freedom and life. Prior to the Taliban’s rule, Hashimy, a high school student in Kabul, enjoyed rights such as attending school and pursuing higher education and career aspirations.
However, with the Taliban’s regime in place, Hashimy’s dreams were shattered as girls were banned from higher education beyond Grade 6. The Taliban issued numerous decrees impacting the daily lives of women and girls, restricting their freedom in various aspects, including education, employment, and public presence.
Natasha Arnpriester, a senior legal counsel at the Open Society Justice Initiative, is working on a case against the Taliban for the International Court of Justice, highlighting the severe impact of the regime’s policies on women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Hashimy, who had aspirations of becoming an athlete and pursuing higher education, faced closed doors after the Taliban’s takeover. She expressed her gratitude for the 30 Birds Foundation, which facilitated her family’s relocation to Canada, where she is now studying urban planning at the University of Saskatchewan.
Despite her new life in Canada, Hashimy remains deeply connected to the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, emphasizing the need to empower herself to eventually help those still suffering back home. She described her arrival in Canada as a feeling of being “safe” and expressed eagerness to contribute to the development of new cities in her adopted country.