Education's Missing Piece: The Fight For Girls' Education In Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, girls and women have been deprived of their fundamental right to education. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, girls have not been allowed to attend school beyond the sixth grade. This restriction on female education has sparked fierce international uproar and widespread condemnation, with many calling for girls to be allowed back to school. The Taliban's decision to bar girls from secondary school and higher education threatens to wipe out the huge gains made in education over the past 20 years. It also makes Afghanistan the only country in the world with restrictions on female education.

The Taliban's ban on girls' education in Afghanistan

Girls' education in Afghanistan has faced a series of setbacks since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The Taliban have imposed various bans on girls' education, which have been met with fierce international condemnation and protests in some Afghan cities.

The Ban on Girls' Education

The Taliban have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, affecting more than 1 million girls in Afghanistan. This restriction extends to universities, with women being barred from pursuing higher education. The Taliban have framed these restrictions as temporary suspensions rather than permanent bans, citing the need to ensure compliance with their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture.

Impact on Afghan Society

The consequences of these bans extend beyond girls' access to education. Afghanistan's economy has been impacted, with tens of thousands of teachers and support staff losing their jobs. The exclusion of women from the job market has also hurt the country's GDP by billions of dollars, according to UNICEF.

International Reaction

The international community has widely condemned the Taliban's actions, with Western countries making the resumption of aid and recognition of the Taliban's rule contingent on girls' return to schools. The United Nations and other organisations have advocated for immediate and non-negotiable access to education for all girls and young women in Afghanistan.

Secret Schools

Despite the risks, some Afghans have taken it upon themselves to provide girls with an education. Secret schools have been set up across the country, operating clandestinely to educate girls. These schools are often run by brave educators who risk their safety to provide an education to the next generation of Afghan girls.

Mental Health Impact

The Taliban's restrictions on girls' education have had a significant impact on the mental health of Afghan girls and women. Reports indicate that girls who have been out of school exhibit signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. The lack of access to education has left many feeling hopeless and uncertain about their future.

A Call for Change

The international community, religious scholars, and Afghan citizens continue to call for the Taliban to reverse their decision and allow girls and women equal access to education.

The impact of the ban on Afghan women

The ban on girls' education in Afghanistan has had a devastating impact on women and girls, as well as wider society.

Impact on women and girls

The ban has had a severe impact on the mental health of Afghan women and girls, with reports of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. The loss of access to education has left many feeling that their lives have no purpose or direction, with one student saying:

> For Afghan girls, the earth is unbearable, and the sky is unreachable.

The ban has also led to a lack of female healthcare professionals, as women are not allowed to be treated by male doctors. This means that children will lose out on medical attention if their primary caregivers are women.

Wider societal impact

The ban has also had a wider impact on Afghan society as a whole. Tens of thousands of teachers have lost their jobs, and private institutions and businesses that benefited from girls' education have been hit hard. The exclusion of women from the job market has hurt the country's GDP by billions of dollars, and the lack of education for girls will have long-term implications for the social and economic fabric of Afghan society.

The ban has also led to an increase in child labour and child marriage, as girls are kept out of school and families face growing hardships.

Secret schools for girls in Afghanistan

Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, girls have been banned from attending secondary school and beyond. In response, teachers and activists have set up secret schools to ensure girls can continue their education.

In 2022, the Taliban reneged on their promise to allow girls above the sixth grade to return to school. This decision was made at a leadership conference in Kandahar, where the most conservative and isolated Taliban faction is based. The Taliban claim that they need time to create a safe environment for girls, and to develop a curriculum and uniforms that align with Islamic values.

However, many believe that the Taliban will never allow girls to return to school, and that their underlying philosophy has not changed since their previous rule from 1996 to 2001, when they banned female education. In response, secret schools have been set up across the country, with estimates of upwards of 100 to 300 schools serving thousands of children, mostly girls.

In Kandahar, 20-year-old Sabira operates a secret school out of her home, teaching around 110 girls aged five to 15. She opened the school because girls in her community would otherwise have no opportunity to access formal learning beyond Islamic studies. She herself had to travel hundreds of kilometres to Kandahar city to study.

In another part of Afghanistan, 19-year-old Fatima Husaini teaches around 50 students in a cave in the mountains. She herself is displaced, and most of her students are from rural districts across central Afghanistan. She says, "I wanted to help my community’s children access opportunities that I didn’t necessarily have."

Parasto Hakim runs SRAK, a clandestine network of schools educating around 400 girls across eight Afghan provinces with the help of 150 teachers and staff. Hakim says that when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, she knew they would not allow girls to go to school, despite their promises. She was inspired by a 1996 documentary to create secret schools for a new generation of Afghan girls.

Another woman, Roya Azimi, set up a secret school in her home in 2022, teaching about 150 girls aged nine to 18. She knew there was a chance her house would come under suspicion, so she found a backup building to use as a classroom.

In Kabul, a woman named Ayesha launched a collective of 45 underground schools. However, within a month, her funds ran out and many of the schools closed. Only 10 schools remain, and Ayesha is struggling to find donors to support them.

The Taliban's ban on girls' education has been widely condemned by the international community, and it is believed that the group will not gain recognition or have economic sanctions lifted until they change their policies.

International response to the ban

The Taliban's ban on girls' education in Afghanistan has been met with widespread condemnation from the international community, with many calling for the protection of the rights of Afghan women and girls.

International Response

The United States, through State Department spokesman Ned Price, has denounced the Taliban's decision as "indefensible", emphasising that it continues to impose restrictions on women's human rights in the country. The US has also stated that the Taliban's recognition as a legitimate ruler should be contingent on demonstrating responsible and inclusive governance, particularly regarding women's rights.

The United Nations has also been vocal in its opposition to the ban. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the international community to "fight back" and not stop until "girls can go back to school, and women can return to their jobs and participate in public life". The UN has further highlighted the detrimental impact of the ban, stating that it "marks a global nadir in education" and infringes on a range of other human rights, such as the rights to work, health, and equality.

The Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law has been challenged by Muslim-majority countries and clerics outside Afghanistan. There is a consensus among these clerics that Islam promotes equal education for both males and females, contradicting the Taliban's claims.

Impact of the Ban

The ban has had severe consequences for the girls and women of Afghanistan. It has disrupted their access to education, resulting in increased rates of child marriage, child labour, and negative impacts on mental health. The lack of education also affects career prospects, with women being excluded from sectors like healthcare, education, and civil service. This loss of potential female professionals will have long-term implications for the country's social and economic fabric.

Way Forward

The international community has been urged to intensify its calls for the Taliban to reopen schools and universities to girls and young women. There are suggestions to make funding for the education sector conditional on the Taliban's commitment to providing equal and quality education for all. Additionally, there are calls for Islamic scholars, leaders, and influential figures to condemn the ban and engage with the Taliban to influence their policies.

The future of girls' education in Afghanistan

The Taliban's decision to bar girls from secondary education has been met with resistance, with secret schools being set up to teach girls despite the bans. These clandestine networks of schools operate underground, with students and staff taking precautions to avoid detection by the Taliban. However, the impact of these secret schools is limited, and they are not a sustainable solution for providing girls with an education.

The international community has made the return of girls to schools a key condition for restarting aid to Afghanistan. Western countries have also stated that recognizing the Taliban's rule is dependent on allowing Afghan girls to receive an education. The Taliban's defiance of these demands has resulted in their struggle to gain formal international recognition.

Despite the efforts of secret schools and international pressure, the future of girls' education in Afghanistan remains at risk. The Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law and their entrenched belief in restricting women's participation in public life continue to be significant barriers. It is crucial that the international community, individual countries, and advocacy groups continue to advocate for the right of girls to education and find ways to support and protect those brave enough to defy the Taliban's rules.

Frequently asked questions