Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, has called for schools and universities in Afghanistan to reopen for girls and women with the start of the new academic year.
In a message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Khalilzad expressed hope, highlighting two recent developments regarding girls’ education.
He emphasized that one of these developments was the “Girls’ Education in Islamic Societies” conference held in Pakistan, which reiterated the right to equal education.
It is noteworthy that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held this global conference last week in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, with the participation of leaders and representatives from Islamic countries.
Khalilzad also pointed to another significant development: Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the caretaker government, publicly opposed the ban on girls’ education.
On Saturday, January 18, during a graduation ceremony at a religious school in Khost, Stanikzai stated that women and girls have been unjustly deprived of education by the group’s leadership.
Stanikzai remarked, “The current approach of the government is not based on Sharia but rather on the nature of this group.”
He added: “All of their [women’s] rights are being violated. They are deprived of inheritance, cannot choose their husbands, are exchanged as property, denied education, and are not allowed to attend mosques. Universities are closed, and even religious schools are off-limits to them. Are we truly following Sharia?”
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that the main source of the global community’s disagreements with the group revolves around the issue of women’s and girls’ education.
In his message, Khalilzad said, “Afghan scholars, leaders of the current government who privately express their opposition to the ban on girls’ and women’s higher education, and all patriotic Afghans must take action. High schools and universities must reopen with the start of Afghanistan’s new year on March 21.”
This comes as the current government, since taking power, has gradually restricted and banned girls’ education. It has now been 1,217 days since schools were closed to girls.
