Ex-President Karzai calls for reopening schools, universities for girls in Afghanistan

On social media platform X, Karzai reiterated his call for the reopening of educational institutions for girls, emphasizing the importance of education in empowering girls and women and fostering a more inclusive society in Afghanistan.

Former President Hamid Karzai met with Roza Otenbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary for Afghanistan. In this meeting, in addition to the discussion and exchange of views on the current situation in Afghanistan, the former president expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of the United Nations in various fields, especially in relation to the provision of educational facilities and attention to the strengthening of the economic power of women.

"Their constructive role in society demanded more cooperation in this matter. The former president considered national understanding to be essential for lasting peace and stability in the country and emphasized the reopening of schools and universities for girls," read the post.

https://x.com/KarzaiH/status/1851926915885477974

The head of UNICEF, Catherine Russell on Wednesday said that Afghan girls face few prospects beyond early marriage after being confined at home.

In a post on X, Russel said, "We should all raise our voices for #Afghan girls and women whose voices are being silenced and dreams denied. Locked out of schools, confined to home, rights denied, they have few prospects beyond early marriage. No country can get ahead if half its population is left out."

https://x.com/unicefchief/status/1851692584692744291

According to a recent UN survey, Taliban policies have altered family attitudes toward girls' education in Afghanistan, with fears of the Taliban and strengthened patriarchal norms leading to reduced support for girls' education, as per Khaama Press.

Khaama Press reported that the UN report highlighted that over 50 per cent of Afghan women and girls feel that community support for girls' access to both primary and higher education has declined.

The Taliban have imposed a new, oppressive rule that silences Afghan women's voices even further, the latest step banning them from hearing each other's voices to erase "women entirely from public life and society," reported the New York Post on Wednesday.

The Talibani Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Khalid Hanafi, banned Afghani women from hearing each other's voices.

"Even when an adult female prays and another female passes by, she must not pray loudly enough for them to hear," he said in his message, as reported by NY Post. (ANI)