According to the U.N. children’s agency, it has been 1000 days since girls in Afghanistan were prohibited from attending secondary schools. This ban has affected over 1 million girls, hindering their access to education and opportunities for personal growth.
UNICEF Executive Director has urged Taliban authorities to allow all children, including girls, to resume learning immediately. The agency emphasizes that denying girls education not only violates their rights but also limits their future prospects and mental well-being.
The Taliban's strict interpretation of Islamic law has led to the ban on girls' education, with girls not allowed to attend classes beyond the sixth grade. This restriction makes Afghanistan the only country in the world with such severe limitations on female education.
Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule, the Taliban has also prohibited women from higher education, public spaces, and most jobs. Female journalists were recently barred from attending the opening ceremony of the new school year, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Afghan women and girls.
UNICEF is working with partners to provide community-based education classes for hundreds of thousands of children, with a focus on training teachers to support girls' education. The agency stresses the importance of international support for Afghan girls, who are in urgent need of educational opportunities.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about the Taliban's educational policies, noting that boys are also being negatively impacted. The departure of qualified teachers, including women, has led to a decline in the quality of education and an increase in punitive measures within schools.
The international community continues to call for the Taliban to prioritize education for all children in Afghanistan, emphasizing that sustainable progress and development can only be achieved when all members of society are given equal access to learning.
