Pashtana Durrani | Afghan Education & Human Rights Activist

#NexusTalkwithNila | Episode #3 | Season 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7xCfGHzUZY

Listen/Watch on Spotify

Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan educator, human rights activist, and the Executive Director of LEARN Afghanistan, the country’s first non-profit dedicated to digital literacy and clandestine education. Under her leadership, LEARN has established a network of underground schools that provide critical access to STEM, healthcare training, and primary education for girls, circumventing systemic barriers to girls' learning in the region.

Pashtana is the author of Last to Eat, Last to Learn, a critically acclaimed memoir that traces her journey as a refugee in Pakistan, her return to Afghanistan to pursue her education, the fall of Kabul in 2021, and her ongoing advocacy from the United States. Through both her writing and activism, she has become a powerful voice at the intersection of education, digital resistance, and resilience.

Her commitment to educational sovereignty has earned her numerous prestigious honours. She is a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, has been named to the BBC 100 Women list, and is recognized as a Global Citizen Prize winner. Additionally, her work has been supported and recognized by the Malala Fund, where she serves as an Education Champion, and the World Economic Forum.

In this conversation, Pashtana reflects on what it means to challenge systems that seek to silence women and girls, while continuing to build pathways for opportunity and hope. Through her work and storytelling, she aims to empower the next generation of Afghan girls, leveraging education and technology as tools for long-term societal change.

NexusTalk with Nila, produced by HerStory Initiative Society, is hosted by Nila Ibrahimi, Co-Founder of HerStory and the 2024 winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize. The podcast is funded by the KidsRights Foundation.

Disclaimer:

NexusTalk with Nila is a platform for conversation, not instruction. The views shared by guests are personal and intended to spark reflection. They do not replace professional advice and do not necessarily represent the views of HerStory Initiative Society, its producers, or its affiliates.