“My dream city is a place where women and girls have freedom, and where everyone has equal opportunities, and where all people have access to proper social infrastructure and public spaces.”

Sabria Rahimi, an 18-year-old Afghan girl, painted her vision of a peaceful urban living environment, where girls sit in a public park with full of green, reading books and chatting with friends. Under a clear blue sky, children play football in a courtyard, while young girls walk to school to study. Cyclists move freely without restrictions, and an airplane ascends above the vibrant city. Her painting vividly captures a harmonious world, reflecting her deepest hopes for the future.

Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Sabria, like many Afghan girls, has been left out from public life. Women’s and girls’ rights to education and employment have been severely restricted by the de facto authorities, exacerbating poverty and gender inequality. Nearly four years after the takeover, secondary and higher education for girls remains to be restricted – making many girls lose hope.

Sabria’s artwork stood out in the “My Urban Vision” Art Contest, organized by UN-Habitat Afghanistan in partnership with UN Women, as one among many activities during “Urban October”. The art contest encouraged Afghan children and youth to express their vision of Afghanistan’s cities of the future. A committee, including urban planners, architects, and gender specialists, carefully reviewed 345 submissions from across the country and shortlisted 30 pieces of art for an exhibition at the UN Compound in Afghanistan in January 2025. Among those, visitors selected the top nine excellent entries for awards.

“I wanted people to hear my voice through my art,” said Sabria. For her, the contest was more than just an artistic competition. It was a chance to speak out – not only for herself but also for all Afghan girls who have been deprived of opportunities. Pursuing an education, gaining new knowledge and skills, and even spending a day in the park or accessing the internet to learn about the world – nothing is normal anymore for them – if not impossible. Faced with such adversities, Sabria believes that art has the power to express both the struggles and aspirations of Afghan women and girls.

Her feelings are reflected in the statistics of the contest’s participation: 75% of the 345 applicants were female, with 70% over the age of 12, the very age group of girls banned from school education. “In my dream city, I want to go to school and study with my friends. And one day, I want to be an artist,” Sabria continues.

Beyond the restrictions on women’s rights, Afghanistan’s prolonged conflict and instability have led to limited investments in public spaces and social infrastructure. But it’s the various decrees, rules and laws, that make life for women and girls difficult and excluded them from public spaces and public life. Sabria’s artwork powerfully depicts this reality. She dreams of a future where she can visit public parks and markets to hang out with her friends, just like men and boys do. Investing in inclusive community infrastructure and basic services is essential to unleashing the potential of Afghan women and girls, paving the way for a better tomorrow.

“UN-Habitat works with and for Afghan people since 1992. Because our projects in Afghanistan focus on “improving living conditions” – better housing, safer neighborhoods, and improved access to services like water, education, and healthcare – our interventions have a huge impact on women and girls,” explains Stephanie Loose, Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat Afghanistan.

The United Nations continues to urge the de facto authorities to lift all discriminatory restrictions against women and girls, including by allowing women to return to work and by reopening schools for girls above the sixth grade. “To live a dignified life. To enjoy more rights. And to then have the strength to stand up for equality. We stand with Afghan women and girls and will continue to advocate for their rights,” Stephanie Loose emphasizes.

Sabria’s vision of a thriving and inclusive Afghan city continues to blossom in her piece of art. Her dream city may exist only on canvas for now, but she believes that one day it will resonate with Afghan youth to build for a brighter and more inclusive future.

Note: the name has been changed to protect her identity.