October 27, 2021

Will Afghan Girls Return To Secondary Schools?

A A “safe learning environment” for girls was what’s absent (seemingly) in Afghanistan. Since coming into power, the Taliban had only allowed girls of primary age to attend school, thus leaving girls in secondary classes out of schools. Following the Taliban's takeover, all teenage girls were told to stay at home until the said “safe learning environment” was again established. However, boys of all grades, and girls of primary age were allowed back in school.

“From my understanding and information, in a very short time all the universities and schools will be reopened and all the girls and women will return to school and their teaching jobs,” said Saeed Khosty, a spokesman for the interior ministry.

“The idea that women should not be educated is just not Islamic. It has nothing to do with religion”

Keeping them away from school is going to take a toll on the girls, and goes against the rights of girls and women to education and to work. This exclusion further raises fears that the Taliban may be trying to bring back the rule where women and girls were legally barred from getting education and had no rights to employment. Several international communities have come forward expressing their concern over the matter, and are pressing the Taliban to protect and safeguard the rights of girls and women.

Is it sending mixed signals? It, most probably, is. With universities forced to enact policies of gender segregation, and forming an all-male cabinet (may include women later), there's always a place for doubt. “Broken promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan,” said Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations. “Women and girls need to be in the centre of attention,” he added. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan meanwhile reminded that “The idea that women should not be educated is just not Islamic. It has nothing to do with religion.”

Posted in News and tagged Afghanistan, News, Girls Education, Human Rights, United Nations
Bookmark the Permalink