Nasir Ahmad Faiq, the acting representative of Afghanistan at the United Nations, has recently stated that the ban on education for girls above the sixth grade is a national betrayal and irreparable.
Mr. Faiq, coinciding with the start of the new academic year in Afghanistan, posted a message on his X account stating: “For the fifth year, contrary to humanitarian principles, Islamic directives, and Sharia law, the doors of secondary and higher education institutions have been kept closed to girls and women in Afghanistan.”
The acting representative of Afghanistan at the United Nations emphasized that these policies have exacerbated poverty and increased Afghanistan’s dependency on neighboring countries and the international community.
The new academic year in Afghanistan officially began yesterday, but the current government has not allowed girls above the sixth grade to attend school for the fifth consecutive year.
The start of the academic year in the country without reopening schools for girls above the sixth grade has sparked significant reactions among international organizations and political figures in the country.
Dr. Tajuddin Owaisi, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, wrote on his X account at the same time as boys’ schools reopened in Afghanistan: “The message is simple: every girl has the right to go to school.”
He emphasized the right to education for girls in Afghanistan, stating that “when girls learn, communities become stronger, and the future becomes brighter for everyone.”
Sanjee Vijayshankar, UNICEF’s regional director, also mentioned on his X account that many girls in Afghanistan are waiting for schools to reopen.
Richard Lindsay, the UK representative for Afghanistan, also wrote on his X account a few days ago that “depriving women and girls of education harms the country’s future and holds back Afghan society.”
