International Students’ Day; A Fundamental Right Denied to Afghan Girls
Bayan News – November 17, coinciding with International Students’ Day, marks 1,156 days since Afghan girls have been deprived of their fundamental right to education.
Following their rise to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban, as one of their initial actions, closed schools and universities to girls. Consequently, Afghanistan became the first country in the world where girls are barred from receiving education.
The Taliban’s ban on girls’ education has drawn widespread national and international condemnation. The European Union even imposed sanctions on some Taliban leaders. However, these international reactions have yielded no significant results, and Afghan girls remain unable to attend schools and universities.
Although the Taliban have not explicitly declared themselves opposed to girls’ education, they have periodically stated that girls will not be granted access to education until a “safe environment” is ensured.
On the other hand, the education ban has placed many girls in dire social conditions, including mental health challenges and early marriages.
Many Afghan clerics, referencing the ban on girls’ education, have stated that while segregating educational environments for girls is appropriate, closing schools to them has no basis in Islamic teachings.
According to international organizations, over the past three years, more than two million girls in Afghanistan have been denied the opportunity to attend schools and universities.
Meanwhile, Afghan girls remain deprived of knowledge as November 17 is celebrated worldwide to honor the rights and achievements of students.
