Afghan Girls Denied Higher Education

24.03. 2022

Kristina Yildiz

Women’s Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence.

As the new school year started in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced that the schools won’t open to girls above the sixth grade. The girls came to school just to be told they should go home. This decision was unexpected and shocking, because earlier the Taliban promised to respect women’s rights. 

Following the Taliban’s demands to segregate the educational institutions and implement new dress code and curriculum, the schools were ready to receive their students. It is reported that private schools and universities have been operating without interruption in the capital of the country. The universities opened around the country earlier this year, however many provinces chose not to provide education for girls and women. It seems like the decision to close the secondary schools is a way to concede to the rural parts of the Taliban movement. In many parts of the country parents still don’t want their girls to go to school. 

After the US withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took over the power, the international donors cut off the aid to the country which was the crucial source of funding. A key condition for restoring the aid was the return of girls to schools. Therefore, the Taliban once again failed to be recognized by international donors. However, according to the external relations and donor representative with the Taliban-led administration, Waheedullah Hashmi, no one says that the schools would be closed forever, so we do have hope. 

Sources and further reading:

1. Gannon (2022). Taliban Cancels Girls’ Higher Education Despite Pledges. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/afghanistan-girls-education-cancelled_n_623b06a9e4b019fd813560e4?d_id=3300789&ref=bffbhuffpost&ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_main&fbclid=IwAR33crQu9mww9PTolhAVXnm7XibxgDkAdn6gcRD-VU7LFnoaBxDnBiqcQuo

1. Qazizai, D. Hadid (2022). Taliban reverses decision, barring Afghan girls from attending school beyond 6th grade. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/23/1088202759/taliban-afghanistan-girls-school

A.Seir, T. Akghar, K. Gannon and J. Gambrell (2021). Taliban Makes Vague Promise On Women’s Rights In First Press Conference. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/taliban-says-women-can-work-study_n_611bd7c6e4b0c696810200d6