Following the reactions over the closure of girls’ schools, the former president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, said that access to education is one of the most fundamental human rights that leads to excellence and success of countries.
According to Karzai, the Islamic Emirate should provide education for the country’s youth and to reopen secondary and high schools for girls across the country.
“One of the most fundamental human rights that leads countries to excellence and success is access to education. I hope that respected clerics, elders, and influential people in the country will encourage young people, both boys and girls, in their pursuit of education. In this regard, I request that the Islamic government open the doors of secondary and high schools to girls nationwide and provide education for the children of the nation so that by relying on their powerful arms, we can all attain greatness and prosperity,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the US special envoy for Afghanistan’s human rights and women, Rina Amiri, said that Afghanistan is the only country in the world that prevents the education of girls.
“On World Literacy Day, Afghan girls are still denied access to education. No other country prevents their children from learning in this way. Afghan girls dream of the day they can return to school with their brothers & positively contribute to Afghanistan’s future,” Amiri tweeted.
Some female students said they learn other social skills at school, but now they are deprived of learning these skills.
“I’m hoping that the Islamic Emirate will reopen the schools’ doors,” said Parwana, a student.
“It hurts a lot; for instance, the teachers taught the girls everything when they were going to school, including how to communicate, how to work, and how to study, but now they are deprived of everything,” she said.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in a meeting with US special envoy for Afghanistan’s human rights and women Rina Amiri, and other Afghan women, said that she will continue to support Afghan women and girls.
