Afghan Sisters Face a New Struggle After Deportation From Iran
Three Afghan sisters are facing a difficult new chapter after their family was deported from Iran and returned to Afghanistan, where restrictions on women and girls have severely limited their access to education and public life.
The sisters, who were born in Iran, had spent much of their lives moving between Iran and Afghanistan. Their family first returned to Afghanistan around 2010, but growing violence led them to leave again for Iran in 2017 in search of greater safety and better opportunities for their children.
While living in Iran, the sisters were able to attend school for several years. However, their undocumented status created significant barriers. They also experienced discrimination and uncertainty over their right to remain in education.
The situation became more difficult after Iranian authorities tightened restrictions on undocumented Afghans. In 2026, the family was detained and subsequently deported to Afghanistan. The sisters are now living in Herat, close to the Iranian border.
Returning to Afghanistan has brought a different set of challenges. Under Taliban rule, girls and women face severe restrictions on education, employment and participation in public life. The sisters say they spend much of their time at home and are unable to continue their formal education.
Despite these restrictions, the three sisters have continued studying through unofficial private classes. Their family is using its savings to pay for the classes, which cost around 2,500 Afghanis a month for all three. The classes cannot provide officially recognized diplomas, but they give the sisters an opportunity to continue learning and maintain hope for their future.
The eldest sister is studying German and hopes to eventually continue her education abroad. Another sister is considering applying to a foreign university, while the youngest remains hopeful that girls will one day be allowed to return to formal education in Afghanistan.
Their story reflects the difficult choices faced by many Afghan families caught between displacement, deportation and restrictions on education. For these three sisters, however, continuing to study has become a way of keeping open the possibility of a different future.
