Pashtana Durrani
Giving girls access to education
About
Pashtana Durrani has helped more than 10,000 Afghan women and girls access education. She is an internationally recognised educator, activist and author, a Harvard M.Ed. graduate in Education Policy Analysis, and International Scholar-in-Residence at the Wellesley Centers for Women. She has become a leading global voice for girls’ education under Taliban rule and beyond.
Work
In 2018, Pashtana founded LEARN Afghan, the country’s first digital school network, now operating underground in nearly 20 provinces to provide safe learning spaces for girls. Besides the Young Activists Summit Award, Pashtana’s work has been recognised globally by the Malala Fund, BBC 100 Women, the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, the World Economic Forum and the Ginetta Sagan Award. She is also the author of Last to Eat, Last to Learn, a memoir chronicling her journey and the founding of LEARN Afghan.