The Taliban had announced that they only wanted to suspend education for older girls. But they are still denied access in Afghanistan. The future of an entire generation is at risk, says the UN.
Since the Taliban regained power three years ago, at least 1.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been affected by the school ban from seventh grade onwards, according to a UNESCO report. This is around 300,000 more girls than in the count in April 2023, the UN organization said.
“Afghanistan is now the only country in the world that denies women and girls over the age of 12 access to education,” says UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “The international community must continue to work with all its might for the unconditional reopening of schools and universities for Afghan girls and women.”
Taliban do not keep their promises
In the past, the Taliban had announced that they would only suspend education for older girls until unspecified conditions were met. Public statements by a few high-ranking Taliban figures in favor of women’s education gave hope some time ago. But so far nothing has been done in this direction. “In just three years, the de facto authorities have all but wiped out two decades of steady progress in education in Afghanistan, and the future of an entire generation is now at risk,” the report said.
The country’s development is at risk in the long term
Another problem is the Taliban’s ban on female teachers teaching at boys’ schools. This is exacerbating the already existing teacher shortage. In addition, the number of students enrolled in universities has fallen by 53 percent since 2021, writes UNESCO. The lack of university graduates will further exacerbate development problems in the country with around 40 million inhabitants.
After the collapse of the US-backed government in Kabul, the Taliban recaptured the Afghan capital on August 15, 2021. They declared a so-called Islamic Emirate and have since enforced their strict interpretation of Islam with draconian laws, particularly restricting women’s rights. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that prohibits girls and women from attending secondary schools and universities.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
