Start of the new academic year in Afghanistan; Taliban urged to end this harmful prohibition

Bayan News – With the start of the new academic year in Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Kabul (UNAMA) office says that the Taliban have deprived girls of education for over 900 days.

The Taliban Ministry of Education rang the bell for the new academic year on Thursday (March 20) through official ceremonies in the capital and provinces of Afghanistan, but there was no discussion about lifting the ban on girls’ education.

In a message, the UNAMA office in Kabul stated, “With the start of the new academic year in Afghanistan, it has been over 900 days that girls above the age of 12 have been prohibited from going to schools and universities.”

UNAMA, emphasizing that education is essential for peace and prosperity for all, called on the Taliban to put an end to this unjustifiable and harmful prohibition.

The former President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, who fled to the United Arab Emirates three years ago, added in a message that the continuation of the girls’ education deprivation is tormenting and devastating for the country.

Mr. Ghani, in his eleven-minute message, reiterated that the prohibition on girls’ education has been in place for nearly a thousand days, and this is not in the best interest of Afghanistan.

The Special Representative of the United States for Women and Human Rights criticized the continued ban on girls’ education by the Taliban.

Rina Amiri stated that the continuation of the prohibition on girls’ education is distressing and has created an extraordinary situation for women and girls on a global scale.

She shared her views and delivered a speech last night at a session entitled “Rebuilding Security from the Perspective of Women Living under Taliban Rule.”

Amiri stated that while schools are reopening in Afghanistan, girls are once again unable to attend their classes and receive an education.

According to this US diplomatic figure, what exists in Afghanistan is unacceptable in any predominantly Muslim country under an Islamic framework, and these objections regarding education have been rejected on a global level.

Taliban and economic support for women

While the continuation of the deprivation of girls’ education has triggered international reactions, the Taliban authorities in Kabul emphasize economic support for women.

The Taliban Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has provided statistics indicating that in the past solar year, they created employment opportunities for 26,000 women in government agencies and the private sector.

After coming to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban prohibited women from working in government agencies and non-governmental domestic and international institutions.