The Five-Year Tragedy of Girls’ Education in Afghanistan
The Effects of Wars and Foreign Interference on Education
Afghanistan has been a victim of foreign invasions, proxy wars, extremist groups, terrorism, and foreign interference for more than a century. Because of these long wars, millions of Afghans have been killed, injured, and displaced, and many have been deprived of education and their basic rights. The education system has also been destroyed and badly damaged several times, leaving several generations without access to education. Afghans consider Pakistan’s unlawful interference in Afghanistan to be one of the major reasons why several generations of Afghans have been deprived of education.
The Historical Dispute Between Afghanistan and Pakistan and Its Effects on the Education System
According to Afghans, one century ago, the country called Pakistan did not exist. Before that, half of Pakistan’s current territory belonged to Afghanistan, its people were Afghans, and they are still Afghans today. Likewise, the other half of its territory belonged to India. Britain then came to these areas and established its control over them. After many wars with Afghans, Britain signed the Durand Agreement with Afghanistan in 1893 concerning these areas. According to the British, it was a 100-year agreement, after which half of the territory would be returned to Afghanistan and the other half to India. However, in 1947, Britain established a country called Pakistan over the same territory.
According to Afghans, after the creation of Pakistan, the policies of Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies toward Afghans changed. Afghans believe that behind these policies was the idea that if the people of Afghanistan became educated, Afghans would take back their territory from Pakistan, and Pakistan would then cease to exist. According to Afghan intellectuals, this is why Pakistan has always supported wars in Afghanistan, created and supported proxy groups, and spent large amounts of money and carried out wide activities to weaken Afghan governments and prevent the development of education in Afghanistan.
Afghans say that because of these cruel policies, unlawful actions, and harmful activities of Pakistan, Afghanistan has faced long proxy wars, insecurity, and great destruction, causing serious damage to Afghanistan’s education system and several generations. They say that Pakistan’s proxy groups have destroyed hundreds of schools with bombs in Afghanistan and have killed and injured thousands of students, especially female students. Various senior Pakistani officials have also confirmed at different times that they have supported terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
The Arrival of the Republic and the Opportunity for Afghan Children to Receive Education
In 2001, with the support of the international community, a republican government was established in Afghanistan. Once again, Afghans gained the opportunity to receive education. According to Afghans, during the 20 years of the Republic, Pakistan’s proxy groups continued to bomb girls’ schools in Afghanistan, and in rural areas they closed schools. They also threw acid at girls. As a result, millions of girls and boys were deprived of education.
The Fall of 2021 and the Ban on Girls’ Education
On August 15, 2021, the Afghan republican government fell, and the Taliban once again took control of Afghanistan. After the Taliban came to power, restrictions were placed on girls’ education and women’s work in Afghanistan. As a result of these restrictions, millions of girls have been deprived of their basic right to education. This is happening while Afghans have been asking the Taliban for five years to give girls this basic right, but so far, the Taliban have taken no positive action. As a result, millions of girls continue to be deprived of their basic rights. According to intellectuals, this is truly a great and irreversible tragedy, and the international community should end it as soon as possible.
The Importance of Girls’ Education
Education is the foundation of women’s knowledge, health, economic independence, stronger families, and the development of society. An educated girl can become a teacher, doctor, engineer, lawyer, researcher, and an effective member of society in the future. Depriving girls of education deprives Afghanistan and the world of an entire generation and an important human potential. This deprivation will have a long-term negative effect.
The United Nations and international human rights organizations should not remain silent about the education, work, and lives of Afghan girls. Instead, based on their shared responsibility, they should fulfill their responsibility in a responsible way to protect the basic rights of Afghan girls, and the current situation should be changed so that Afghan girls can return to schools, universities, and work. If girls’ schools remain closed in this way, it will be an irreversible tragedy for humanity and the world. According to human rights, education is a basic and natural right of every human being, and no other person has the right to take this natural and basic right away from others.
Respectfully