UNHCR deputy shares hope that both girls, boys may learn
The ban on schooling for female students beyond grade six continues to face strong national and international condemnation.
The UNHCR said the closing of schools for girls in grades 7-12 is contrary with the commitment made by the Islamic Emirate with the international community.
“We are extremely worried about the situation for women and girls. They are facing heightened risk and challenges affecting their ability to move around freely and to work,” said Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency.
The Islamic Emirate said it is working on a plan to pave the way for the reopening of schools for girls beyond grade six.
“The Islamic Emirate is making serious efforts to form a mechanism in a bid to reopen schools for female students in grades 7-12 under an Islamic structure and based on Afghan tradition,” said Aziz Ahmad Riyan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education.
This comes as Amnesty International called on the international community to prioritize women’s rights and girls’ access to education in a meeting with the current Afghan officials.
Amnesty International said that women’s rights were violated since the Islamic Emirate came into power.
“We are witnessing the violation of all rights for women and girls. The Taliban didn’t live with their promises regarding reopening the schools for girls. The international community must put women and girls’ rights as its redline in the meetings with the Taliban. We urge the international community to hold the Taliban accountable,” said Samira Hamidi, a member of Amnesty International.
This comes as Abdul Bari Jahani, former Minister of Information and Culture, in an open letter to the Islamic Emirate expressed his concerns over the current situation in Afghanistan and the closing of schools for girls, saying the country’s development is impossible without girls’ access to education.
An Indian newspaper The Print reported that more than two dozen senior members of the Islamic Emirate are sending their daughters to school in Doha, Qatar as well as Karachi and Peshawar of Pakistan.
“This is propaganda and not true,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
“We call on the Islamic Emirate to immediately reopen the schools for girls because as much as we improve our knowledge, our girls and country will be developed,” said Meena Habib, a women’s rights activist.
“Their children are in a calm situation and are making progress. They have no worries. But they don’t consider the girls who are living in Afghanistan,” said Sanowbar, a women’s rights activist.
On March 23rd, female students beyond grade six were not allowed to attend their schools.
While opening a school in Kandahar on Thursday, the deputy commissioner of the UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) said that the international community was continuing its efforts to open girls’ schools above the sixth grade.
“UNHCR believes that children are the future of this country, and when children are educated, they can bring peace. So, we are very happy and very much honored to open the schools. So far, UNHCR has opened three schools in Kandahar and we really thank community leaders to be able to work together to open schools. We are very much looking forward for boys and girls they both learn and they bring the peace in future of Afghanistan,” said Yumiko Takashima, UNHCR’s Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees.
The Kandahar Department of Education says that all preparations have been made for the reopening of girls’ schools above the sixth grade and that they are waiting for the decision of the Ministry of Education.
“We are prepared, and there is no problem, but there is some traditional, religious, and cultural issues that we adhere to in the light of the Sharia that is needed,” said Mawlawi Fakhreddin Naqshbandi, head of the Kandahar Department of Education.
Meanwhile, students of a school in Kandahar speaking to TOLOnews asked the Ministry of Education to open the gates of girls’ schools above the sixth grade.
“I am really happy that there have been changes in the school, progress has been made, for example, new classes have started,” said Zahra Mousavi, said the student.
“We ask the Islamic Emirate to allow girls above the sixth grade to continue their education,” said Fahmida, a student.
“We ask the government to allow all students to come to school and continue their education,” said Ainullah, a resident of Kandahar.
