As of today, Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending secondary school and higher education, prevented from working outside their homes and in some regions unable to leave their homes without a male guardian. Women are disappearing from public life as the spaces where they once gathered – schools, parks, gyms, beauty salons, offices – are closed to them. Facing such erasure, photojournalist Kiana Hayeri, spent months capturing small acts of joy and defiance by women in Afghanistan in a collection of beautiful and poignant photos. Kiana explains that documenting these hidden moments isn’t just about recording loss – it’s about creating a foundation for hope and resilience to build upon. Kiana is an Iranian-Canadian photographer and visual storyteller whose work focuses on migration, adolescence, identity and women's experiences in conflict zones. She lived in Kabul for eight years and stayed after the Taliban's return to power, documenting the rapidly changing social landscape for women. Kiana has received numerous prestigious awards and is laureate of the 14th Carmignac Photojournalism Award. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx