Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, has once again called for the lifting of the ban on education and employment for women and girls in the country.
In a message posted today (Sunday, March 8) on his X account on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Karzai wrote:
“I consider it necessary to appreciate the efforts and historic struggles of the women of Afghanistan for the progress and prosperity of the country and to note that women, at different stages and in various fields, have played a prominent role and made valuable contributions alongside men in the growth and development of Afghanistan.”
The former president further emphasized: “On this occasion, and considering the necessity that meeting the essential needs of society today and the country’s progress in the future require the participation of women in all social spheres, I once again stress that schools and universities should be reopened to girls as soon as possible, and the conditions should be provided for women to return to work and actively participate in society.”
This comes as the caretaker authorities, after regaining control of Afghanistan, first banned education for girls above the sixth grade and later closed the doors of universities to women and girls.
This decision has left millions of female students deprived of education.
In addition, women have been banned from going to gyms, restaurants, public bathhouses, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international non-governmental organizations as well as even in United Nations offices in Afghanistan.
Experts from the United Nations have described the policies of the caretaker authorities against Afghan women as a “crime against humanity” and stated that these policies could also be considered “gender apartheid.”
