South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) a regional network of human rights defenders, calls upon the Taliban to immediately withdraw the ban against the education for girls and women beyond sixth grade. Afghanistan’s school year started on 20 March 2024 with the ban intact.
Right to education is a fundamental entitlement which greatly influences the standard of dignified living of a human. On 21 March 2022 the Taliban imposed a temporary ban on secondary school education for girls. Even though the Taliban’s Ministry of Education then stated that the schools for girls will reopen once policies in compliance with principles of Islamic law and Afghan culture were formulated, the Taliban at present has proven their lack of political will to act proactively towards the education of girls and women of Afghanistan. It in turn clearly delineates the discrimination based on gender practiced by the government against its own people.
People of Afghanistan have been infinitely suffering for decades due to various conflict situations. This ban against education for girls and women will have numerous negative implications to these people as well as the country in decades to come. On the other hand if the Taliban/the de facto authority is reneging on a promise to its people, whom it is obliged to protect, it definitely causes irretrievable damage to the social contract between them.
Therefore, SAHR strongly calls upon the Taliban to immediately withdraw the ban against the secondary and tertiary education of girls and women. It also urges the Taliban to halt all practices and discrimination aligned with gender apartheid against the women of Afghanistan and protect and promote rights and entitlements of the people of Afghanistan as enshrined in the Constitution.
On behalf of the members of South Asians for Human Rights
Dr. Roshmi Goswami
Co-Chairperson
Dr. P. Saravanamuttu
Bureau Member