Condemnation of the Taliban Closing Girls’ Schools

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Condemnation of the Taliban Closing Girls’ Schools

 

Does the world need any more proof that the Taliban have not changed?

On March 23, 2022, the Taliban once again went back on their word that they would allow girls to attend secondary education.  Women Living Under Muslim Laws joins with  millions of global citizens in strongly condemning the Taliban’s action denying women and girls the right to education. It has caused deep disappointment and sorrow to hundreds of thousands of women and girls in Afghanistan who recognize the significance of their fundamental right to education. We condemn the Taliban’s continuing misogynistic treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan. Education is a fundamental right for all children, one  that is also fundamental to Islam and advocated by Muslim scholars across the globe. The denial of education to girls violates their human rights. It will greatly harm the future of the nation as it will negatively impact its development and impede the progress of future generations for years to come.  The Taliban’s  action is an affront to the people of Afghanistan, to Islam and to the global community and reveals the true nature of  who the Taliban are and what they stand for. Once again, the Taliban have proved that they have not changed despite their shrewd use of social media and improved public relations efforts. It is time for the international community to take action.

We demand multilateral global pressure on the Taliban to recognize women’s and girl’s right to education and to ensure their equal access to all opportunities and resources so that they can participate meaningfully in rebuilding their country and contributing to their communities. We reiterate our previous recommendations and urge the international community to act on them.

  • All dealings with the Taliban must contingent on them opening all educational institutions to women and girls and removing all restrictions on women’s equal participation in the political and economic life of the country
  • The international community should fund only those provinces which establish equal numbers of middle schools for girls and boys.
  • All international teams meeting with, or engaging in any way, with the Taliban should include at least 50% women.

4) Any future dealings with the Taliban should include women representatives from  civil society.

Women Living Under Muslim Laws

23 March 2022