During the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops last year from Afghanistan, 148 students from the Asian University for Women made a dramatic escape, narrowly missing gunfire and suicide bombs set off at the overrun Kabul Airport.
Despite the dangers, the women were determined. They knew that with the Taliban back in power, their dreams of a college education would likely soon be over.
During the 20 years of U.S. occupation, the number of Afghan women in higher education increased from around 5,000 in 2001 under the previous Taliban rule to about 90,000 in 2018, the United Nations found.
