Amnesty International has said the Taliban’s ban on secondary and higher education for Afghan girls has now remained in place for five years, describing the prolonged restrictions as a major denial of education and rights.
In a recent statement, the human rights organization called on the international community to stand with Afghan women and girls and increase pressure on the Taliban to immediately reopen schools for girls across Afghanistan.
Amnesty said the past five years have deprived millions of Afghan girls of education and have severely affected their hopes and aspirations for the future. The organization described the restrictions as a serious injustice against Afghan girls.
The rights group also said Afghan girls have continued to seek ways to pursue their education despite the restrictions. According to Amnesty, girls have used protests, online learning, secret home-based classes and education opportunities abroad to continue their studies.
The Taliban banned girls from attending secondary schools after returning to power in 2021 and later imposed restrictions preventing women from attending universities. The measures have drawn widespread international criticism and calls for their reversal.
The United Nations and several international organizations and countries have repeatedly called for Afghan girls’ right to education to be restored, with education remaining an important issue in international engagement with Afghanistan.
Amnesty International said continued international pressure and support for Afghan women and girls are necessary to help ensure that their right to education is restored.