The Taliban completely closed schools and universities doors for Afghan women and girls during their previous rule between 1996-2001. By doing so, the Taliban deprived half of the country’s population from education. Unfortunately, the Taliban’s Thirst for restricting women was not quenched by banning women’s education; Therefore, they tried to completely eliminate women from public life by imprisoning them within the four walls of their homes.
the situation got to a point where a woman wasn’t allowed to step out of her home without her husband or a close male relative accompanying her. In one word, women were seen as evil creatures whose presence was not tolerated anywhere in the public.
Eventually, with the US military intervention and the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, the dark days for Afghan women and girls came to an end. United States and the international community started investing billions of dollars in health, security, and education, especially girl’s education. Girl’s school were opened across the country.
According to UNESCO, the number of girls in primary schools had increased from zero in 2001 to 3.8 million students in 2018. In 2021, 4 out of 10 students in primary education will be female students. In 2021, 4 out of 10 students in primary schools were girls.
According to the Ministry of Higher Education, the gender gap in higher education enrollment had narrowed over time in favor of female students. For example, in the 2003 entrance exam, there were only 1,000 female participants, but this number increased to 78,000 in 2013 and reached its highest level of 90,000 in 2018.
based on the data form the National University Entrance Exam office(konkor), in 2008 the participation of female students in the national entrance exam was 44% compared to 56% of male students in Herat province. However, this gender gap gradually narrowed down over the time.
Also, according to the statistics and data of the National Examinations Office (Kankor), in Herat province, the participation of female students in the national entrance exam was 44% compared to 56% of male students in 2008. However, this gender gap gradually narrowed. The figures for 2019 show that the participation rate of women in the entrance exam in Herat has increased to 53%. While the participation rate of men has decreased to 42%.
The figures from 2019 show that the participation rate of female students in the entrance exam in Herat had increased to 53%. While the participation rate of male students dropped to 42%.
If we take Herat province as an example of real success story in educating women in Afghanistan, then we realize that bridging gender gap to this extend in Afghanistan is an unprecedented feat.
In the past twenty years, Afghan women have not only excelled in education, but also gained significantly in the areas of politics, culture and economy.
In the past twenty years, women have not only excelled in education, but also had significant gained in politics, culture and economy. Our people have practiced democratic values such as freedom of expression, human rights and women’s rights. Over the course of twenty years, our people eventually understood that in order to achieve welfare and development, we need to educate women and girls. Most importantly, Afghan people realized that depriving half of the country’s population of education would never lead to development and prosperity.
Unfortunately, with the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, all these achievements have been lost. The Taliban do not believe in values such as democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. The Taliban’s behavior over the past months shows their ideology has not changed. they closed Ministry of Women’s Affairs. They are not allowing women to work in an office. Women are not allowed to travel unless being accompanied by a close male relative. Once again the want to deprive women and girls of education as recently they banned girl’s education above 7 grade. Unfortunately, the international community is not doing anything about it.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ” Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory “. Therefore, the Taliban’s act of banning girl’s education is the violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
