THE EXAMPLE OF WOMEN TEACHERS
As we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, Bibi Zainab Nasiri draws inspiration from the example of women teaching in the most difficult of circumstances.
A unique contribution
All over the world, women teachers play a major role in shaping opportunities for countless children. In many, perhaps in most countries, the majority of teachers are women. A quick Google search reveals that in OECD countries, women make up 70% of the teaching workforce and globally the figure is 60%. When you think about the targets that individual countries and organisations like the UN set for education, nothing – but nothing – could be achieved without the unique contribution of female teachers. Just take the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. They will come to very little without an increasingly well-educated global population and will be meaningless without the unique contribution of women teachers.
Take the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #4 for example which requires us to
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Few would disagree with this, and yet, it becomes all but impossible without SDG #5
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
None of these goals are easy. All are challenging. But without the active and often inspiring work of women teachers, sometimes in the most difficult of circumstances, none are possible.
Moving backwards?
In many parts of the world, however, progress in achieving these goals is slow and in others we seem to be going backwards. The effects of regime change in my homeland during 2021 have been devastating and the impact on education, especially for girls and their teachers, disastrous.
It would easy to be downhearted and discouraged, but it is important not to be. In fact, the difficulties we face have made me realize how important it is to be a teacher. Honestly, at the beginning of my career, I did not have an interest in teaching. When I first started working as a teacher, I saw it mainly as a job, not as something meaningful for my life. Over time, however, my perspective changed. I slowly realized that teaching is not just a profession; it is a way to do something important, particularly for other women. It became a way for me to support girls in my country, especially in the current situation in Afghanistan, where girls’ education is severely restricted.
What motivated me most were my students. Under the current government and strict limitations, even small words of encouragement can make a big difference. When I gave my students a little motivation, I could see how those small moments made them happy. I saw how a few hopeful words helped them believe in a future that often feels impossible to them. Knowing that I could be a small reason for their hope was deeply meaningful and beautiful to me.
Because of these experiences, I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Education. As I observed the situation in Afghanistan more closely—the restrictive policies, the opposition to education, and especially the barriers placed on girls—I became even more committed to teaching and learning. These challenges did not push me away from education; instead, they made me more determined to understand it and to defend it.
Leaving home
But like others, I have left. Now, as a Master’s student and a researcher overseas, my relationship with education has become more complex and emotional. Sometimes I read academic articles and research papers about girls’ education, and they make me deeply sad. This feeling becomes even stronger when I conduct interviews with girls who are deprived of schooling. Listening to them speak about their disappointment and uncertainty about the future affects me more than anything else. Yet, this sadness also strengthens my purpose. It reminds me why I continue to study, write, and speak about education—because behind every policy and statistic, there are real girls whose futures are at stake.
Education beyond walls
I am not the only Afghan teacher working away from home. One story that deeply touched me came from a teacher now living as a refugee in Pakistan. Even without a classroom or official position, she continues to teach girls in her neighborhood. “We are not allowed to build schools here,” she told me, “But education must not stop — even if we have to teach under a tree.”
I imagined her standing under a tree, surrounded by a few eager girls holding old notebooks, learning to read and write in the open air. It’s a simple picture, yet it represents something powerful: learning does not depend on walls or systems. It depends on people — on those who care enough to keep teaching, no matter what.
Learning to hope
In places where education is a daily struggle, female teachers are also shaping courage. They remind us that true teaching is not just a transfer of knowledge — it is a transfer of strength.
Their classrooms may be simple, their tools few, but their impact is immeasurable. Every time a woman teacher helps a girl believe in herself, she changes not just one life, but an entire generation’s path.
And their students? One student told me something I will never forget:
“Even when the doors are closed, find your own window to light.”
That sentence perfectly captures the spirit of so many girls and women facing a future that most would find impossible to contemplate. They find their own way — through courage, compassion, and creativity. These women are not only teachers — they are builders of hope, guiding the next generation toward a brighter, more equal world. They are an example to our profession worldwide.
Let’s remember that when we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th.
Bibi Zainab Nasiri is an Afghan educator and researcher currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education internationally. Her research focuses on women’s access to education, resilience, and the role of female teachers in post-conflict societies. She believes that teaching is both a profession and an act of courage.
FEATURE IMAGE: by Wanman uthmaniyyah on Unsplash
Support Images: United Nations, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, WikiImages from Pixabay & Anne Nygård on Unsplash
