Malala Yousofzai, a women’s rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, called on Muslim leaders to respond to the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan and not to legitimize the Taliban during a conference on girls’ education in Islamic countries. In this conference, which was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, she criticized the Taliban’s strict policies against women and emphasized that it is time for Islamic leaders to vocally defend the rights of girls.
Yousofzai also pointed out that the Taliban cover up their crimes with religious and cultural justifications, describing Afghanistan as the only country where girls are deprived of their rights to education, schooling, and work.
In addition, Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, emphasized at this meeting that the challenge of ensuring Afghan girls’ and women’s access to education is not one-dimensional and requires dialogue with all parties. Referring to the ban on education for girls beyond the sixth grade, she called for collaboration and joint efforts to bring girls back to schools and educational institutions.
Otunbayeva added that the Taliban is the only group opposing girls’ education, while other citizens of Afghanistan, especially women, girls, and human rights organizations, have repeatedly called for the lifting of this ban.
The two-day conference on girls’ education in Muslim communities was held on Sunday in Islamabad, Pakistan, organized by the World Muslim League. Several educational officials and ministers from various countries gathered at this meeting.
It is noteworthy that the Taliban has issued more than 80 restrictive decrees that have deprived women and girls of their rights to education, schooling, work, and all social, political, cultural, recreational, and tourism activities. For over three years, women and girls have been living in absolute uncertainty in the confines of their homes, with many of them struggling with mental health issues.
- منبع خبر : Afghan women news agency