Afghanistan women demonstrate in Kabul against closure of schools, universities for female students

They described it as a violation of human rights of Afghanistan women.

The women continued their protest despite they were stopped by the Islamic Emirate forces, reports Tolo News.

Ensuring all Afghan girls can be educated must be “a zero condition” for the Taliban, before international recognition of their de facto authority, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said last Friday.

Mohammed was speaking during a panel discussion on supporting a future for girls’ education in Afghanistan, held on the margins of the UN General Assembly.

Prominent women advocates from Afghanistan and the international community also participated in the discussion, held both online and in person, and moderated by BBC correspondent Laura Trevelyan from UN Headquarters in New York.

Asked if international aid to Afghanistan could be conditional on education for women and girls, Mohammed responded “absolutely”, stating that the issue “continues to remain upfront” in ongoing discussions with the de facto authorities.

“This is where we have to have resolve: that recognition comes with your ability to be part of a global family. That has a certain set of values and rights that must be adhered to.  And education is up front and centre, especially for girls and for women.”

The deputy UN chief urged the international community to draw on Afghan women’s expertise and support them in preventing a reversal of two decades of gains in girls’ education.

The Taliban seized power in August and recently confirmed that while secondary schools were reopening, only boys would be returning to the classroom. Women teachers in the country are also unable to return to work.

This week, the administration’s spokesperson said a “safe learning environment” would need to be established before girls could go back to high school, according to media reports.

For engineer Somaya Faruqi, captain of the Afghan girls’ robotics team that has competed worldwide, education means “everything”. 

“My generation grew up with a dream: achieving great things for our country by pursuing an education. The world will have everything to gain by standing with us,” said Faruqi, who left Afghanistan in the wake of the takeover.