Written by: Tabasum Nasiry
Shortly after the resurgence of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan, thousands of girls were confined to their homes and deprived of their fundamental right to secondary and higher education. This deprivation has led to gender segregation and the promotion of a misogynistic mindset within the society.
Amnesty International has named the ban on girls’ education an attack on the future of thousands of girls, stating that “the dreams and future of thousands of girls in Afghanistan are in jeopardy.” The organization noted that between 2001 and 2021, millions of Afghan girls attended schools, nurturing dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, journalists, scientists, and experts in various fields.
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has denounced the blatant and “indefensible” human rights violations rooted in gender-based discrimination in Afghanistan.
However, according to UNESCO’s statistics, 80% of eligible school-age girls, totalling around 2.5 million, are deprived of education in Afghanistan, and 30% of girls have never attended primary schools.
The ban on girls’ education initially started as a form of deprivation and later continued for two consecutive years through the issuance of approximately 70 orders by the Taliban regime. All these orders were issued by the de facto administration to restrict women’s freedoms and were enforced by various government authorities.
Students see this clear gender-based segregation as an “injustice against girls” and urge society not to remain silent in the face of this injustice.
Bahara is a 19-year-old student who, if given the chance to attend school, would have already fulfilled one of her dreams of becoming a doctor. However, she could not complete her education due to the current policies and limitations. She says, “I had a strong desire to study and read, and now that each day passes and all my dreams have been shattered, life has become tough for me.”
Experts believe that the policies of the Taliban interim government, which “nourish misogyny” have inflicted an irreparable blow to society and will take years to heal this wound.
A sociologist responded to probing questions about the indirect effects of the ban on girls’ education in society, saying that this prohibition has been enforced so blatantly and harshly that its repercussions do not solely result in girls being deprived of education; it permeates the entire fabric of society, fostering a mindset based on misogyny.
