UNITED NATIONS, Mar 23 (APP):UN Secretary-General Antonio GuterresWednesday “deeply” regretted Taliban’s decision to suspend high schooleducation for girls in Afghanistan, saying it was “deeply damaging” for thewar-torn country.In a statement, he urged the de facto authorities in Kabul to open schoolsfor all students without any further delay.
The Taliban decision came as Afghanistan’s educational institutionsre-opened Wednesday with girls who were to begin education beyond the sixthgrade told by the Taliban to remain home.
“I deeply regret today’s announcement by Taliban authorities in Afghanistanthat girls’ education from the sixth grade has been suspended until furthernotice,” the UN chief said in the statement, which was read out by hisSpokesman Stephane Dujarric at the regular noon briefing in New York.
The UN chief said that the start of the new school year had beenanticipated by all students, girls and boys, and parents and families
“The de facto authorities’ failure to reopen schools for girls above thesixth grade, despite repeated commitments, is a profound disappointment anddeeply damaging for Afghanistan.
“The denial of education not only violates the equal rights of women andgirls to education, it also jeopardizes the country’s future in view of thetremendous contributions by Afghan women and girls,” Guterres added.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) deplored theannouncement by the Taliban that they are further extending theirindefinite ban on female students above the 6th grade being permitted toreturn school.
“The de facto authorities’ failure to adhere to commitments to reopenschools for girls above the sixth grade – in spite of repeated commitmentstowards girls’ education, including during my visit to Kabul two weeks ago– is deeply damaging for Afghanistan,” High Commissioner Michelle Bacheletsaid in a statement issued in Geneva.
“The denial of education violates the human rights of women and girls –beyond their equal right to education, it leaves them more exposed toviolence, poverty and exploitation,” Ms. Bachelet explained.
Ms Bachelet recalled her recent visit to Kabul, where women stressed to herthat they wanted to speak to the Taliban themselves.
The women told her that they have “information, solutions and thecapability to help chart a way out of this economic, humanitarian and humanrights crisis in Afghanistan”.
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“They insisted upon the equal right to quality education at the primary,secondary and tertiary levels and were hopefully awaiting the reopening ofschools today.”
As Afghan citizens suffer the impacts of multiple intersecting crises, thesenior UN official described the decision as being of “grave concern”.
“Disempowering half of Afghanistan’s population is counterproductive andunjust,” Ms Bachelet said, adding that “structural discrimination such asthis is also deeply damaging for the country’s prospects of future recoveryand development.”
She called on the Taliban to “respect all girls’ rights to education and toopen schools for all students without discrimination or further delay”.
The Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, Catherine Russell, alsoissued a statement describing the decision as “a major setback for girlsand their futures”.
“Millions of secondary-school girls around Afghanistan woke up hopefultoday that they will be able to go back to school and resume theirlearning,” she said. “It did not take long for their hopes to beshattered.”
According to Ms Russell, the decision meant that an entire generation ofadolescent girls was being “denied their right to an education and robbedof the opportunity to gain the skills they need to build their futures”.
She urged the de facto authorities to honour their commitment to girls’education without any further delay and appealed to community leaders inevery corner of the country to support the education of adolescent girls.
“All children deserve to be in school. This is the surest way to put thecountry on a surer path toward the peace and prosperity that the people ofAfghanistan deserve,” said the UNICEF chief.
