A new school year has begun in Afghanistan. However, another 400,000 girls are not allowed to attend secondary school. According to Unicef, around 2.2 million girls are currently affected by this regulation, which was introduced by the Taliban regime in 2022. The United Nations Children’s Fund calls this ban ‘disastrous’ and demands that it be lifted.
Ban has negative consequences
In the future, more and more Afghan girls will only have a basic education. If the ban remains in place until 2030, ‘over four million girls will have been deprived of their right to secondary education after primary school,’ Unicef said in a statement. The ban would have many negative consequences for the health system, the economy and the country. ‘If these talented, intelligent young girls continue to be denied education, the consequences will be felt for generations.’
Lives are at risk
‘The less girls receive an education, the higher their risk of child marriage, with negative effects on their well-being and health,’ says Unicef. Furthermore, there will be a lack of qualified female staff in the health system. ‘This endangers human lives,’ warns Unicef. If there are fewer female doctors and midwives, women will not receive the medical treatment they need. The children’s fund predicts that a further 1600 mothers and more than 3500 infants will die.
Unicef continues to work for children
Despite the ban, the children’s fund has provided education for around 445,000 children. 64 per cent of them were girls. Unicef also supports female teachers so that girls have positive role models. Education is not only a fundamental right: ‘It is the path to a healthier, more stable and prosperous society.’ That is why Unicef is calling for the ban to be lifted immediately.
See:
https://www.unicef.de/informieren/aktuelles/presse/-/afghanistan-weitere-400-000-maedchen-gehen-nicht-zur-schule/372374
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