Richard Bennett Calls For An End To Taliban's Ban On Afghan Girls' Education On International Education Day

On Friday, January 24, marking the International Day of Education, Bennett wrote, Afghanistan is the only country where women and girls are prohibited from accessing education. He stressed that this ban must end immediately, as it represents an unacceptable denial of fundamental rights.

“On #InternationalEducationDay , we must not forget the millions of Afghan girls & women denied education. The Taliban's ban is a grave human rights violation. Afghanistan is the only country barring girls from school. This must end. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn #RightToEducation ,” Bennett stated.

Meanwhile, on International Education Day, the United Nations in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called on the Taliban to lift the ban on education for millions of Afghan girls, labeling it a“tragedy.” UNAMA highlighted that 1,225 days have passed since Afghan girls were denied their basic right to education.

Roza Otunbayeva, head of UNAMA, described the ban as a grave injustice, emphasizing that no nation can progress by marginalizing half of its population. In a statement issued on January 24, she urged the Taliban to allow girls to return to school, calling the situation a disaster for Afghanistan's future.

On International Education Day, UNICEF reported that floods in Afghanistan during 2024 destroyed or damaged over 110 schools, disrupting the education of thousands of students and highlighting the urgent need for educational infrastructure support.

The Taliban has imposed a complete ban on education for women and girls beyond the sixth grade. This prohibition has effectively excluded millions of Afghan women and girls from pursuing formal education.

The Taliban justifies its ban on girls' education as part of its narrative of implementing“Islamic Sharia law.” In response to international and governmental calls to reopen educational institutions for women and girls, the Taliban has asserted that foreign nations and organizations should not interfere in Afghanistan's internal affairs.

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