Former Afghan president Karzai calls on Taliban to allow girls and women to be educated

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has banned girls from studying beyond primary school

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Hamid Karzai, former Afghan president. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 3:04am, 19 Aug 2024

Afghanistan’s former president Hamid Karzai on Sunday called on the Taliban regime to allow girls and women to attend school and university, as the country marked 105 years of independence.

Karzai emphasised the importance of women’s education and participation in society, urging all Afghans to work together to overcome poverty, acquire knowledge and strive for progress.

According to United Nations data, 1.4 million Afghan girls have been deliberately deprived of secondary and higher education in the country.

Girls enter a school in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021. Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has banned girls from studying beyond primary school. Photo: AP

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban banned girls from studying beyond primary school. However, in some parts of the country, women and girls still attend religious schools, as well as midwifery and nursing schools.

The Taliban government is not recognised internationally.

Afghanistan gained its independence in August 1919 after the signing of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty, which ended British control over the country’s foreign affairs.

On Sunday, the Taliban government celebrated Independence Day by holding a special event in Kabul.