Today, Monday, the new school year began in Kabul and several other provinces of Afghanistan for the fifth consecutive year, but girls above the sixth grade remain excluded. This situation has not only affected the lives of millions of girls but has also cast a long shadow over the country’s future.
Many of the excluded girls say that the continuation of this policy has had a serious impact on their mental health and future prospects. They are calling on the Taliban government to lift the restrictions on girls’ education and allow them to return to school.
Meanwhile, the international community has repeatedly called for the protection of girls’ right to education. United Nations agencies and human rights activists emphasize that education is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed for all without discrimination.
Afghanistan’s UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Richard Bennett, has also described these restrictions as “unacceptable” and urged their immediate removal.
Most Afghan citizens have likewise urged the Taliban to end the ban on girls’ education within the framework of national and Islamic standards, warning that such policies could negatively affect Afghanistan’s international relations.
The Taliban government, however, maintains that the issue of girls’ education is being reviewed according to “Islamic principles and national values.” They claim efforts are underway to establish mechanisms that would allow girls’ education in line with their interpretation. But so far, no practical changes have been implemented, and schools remain closed to girls for the fifth consecutive year.
Experts describe the continuation of the school year without girls as a serious social and human challenge for Afghanistan, calling on the Taliban government to lift the restrictions. They warn that if the situation continues, not only will the future of millions of girls be at risk, but Afghanistan will also face a severe loss of human capital, which could have long-term negative effects on the country’s development.
