UNESCO, the educational, scientific, and cultural organization of the United Nations, has warned that if restrictions continue until 2030, the number of girls deprived of education will exceed four million.
In a statement, the organization noted that the current government’s restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan have already affected approximately 1.5 million female students.
UNESCO has identified Afghanistan as the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending school.
The organization added that this concerning regression occurs at a time when Afghanistan, after decades of progress, is now witnessing the destruction of women’s educational achievements.
It is worth mentioning that officials from the current government have consistently referred to the ban on girls’ education as an internal issue for Afghanistan, emphasizing that their policies are based on Islamic Sharia.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the current government, stated in a message on the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day, that the rights of Afghan women in an Islamic and Afghan society differ significantly from the rights of women in Western societies.
Mr. Mujahid said that when considering these differences, it should be taken into account that the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan are being upheld.
Despite this, the caretaker government has imposed numerous restrictions on citizens over the past three years, particularly against women and girls. Currently, girls and women are banned from attending school, university, and work, and are deprived of their most basic rights.
Additionally, women and girls are prohibited from going to sports clubs, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, working in domestic and international NGOs, and even in UN offices in Afghanistan.
This comes as the caretaker government in Afghanistan has repeatedly claimed that citizens’ rights, including women’s rights, have been increasingly secured within the framework of Islamic laws in the country.
