Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, has recently stated that depriving women and girls of education is an act of extremism, and with a focus only on religious/jihadi education, the future of Afghanistan’s young generation will be destroyed.
Mr. Bennett made these remarks on Friday (September 25) on the sidelines of a UN meeting, saying that documented reports from Afghanistan are vital for directing global discussions toward effective international action.
He further emphasized that creating more platforms for hearing the views of Afghan citizens, especially Islamic scholars and experts, is important and must be taken seriously.
The UN Special Rapporteur also pointed out the suppression of civil society and silencing of dissenting voices, adding that despite threats, intimidation, and acts of retaliation, the actions of this group have not gone unnoticed by the international community and remain under scrutiny.
Bennett’s criticism of the situation of women and girls comes as the current government, since taking control of Afghanistan, has deprived them of education. In its latest restriction, the government closed the doors of medical institutes to female students, despite the fact that Afghanistan’s health sector is facing a shortage of personnel.
This move has left millions of school-aged girls deprived of education.
In addition, women have been banned from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in national and international NGOs as well as in UN offices in Afghanistan.
