Every child has the right to a quality education, no matter who they are or where they live. But, in Afghanistan, this is far from a reality. Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban have created the world’s most egregious women’s rights crisis.
Today marks 1,000 days since Afghan girls last step foot in a classroom beyond primary school. Afghanistan is the only country with such restrictions on girls’ and women’s access to secondary school and higher education. It is utterly reprehensible that for almost three years 1.1 million girls and women have been banned from accessing formal education.
Women teachers are also prohibited from teaching boys, and many have lost their jobs and their livelihoods. In the face of one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, and a worsening hunger crisis, teachers have only been paid partially and irregularly or not at all. Their labour and freedom of association rights, among many others, have also been severely curtailed.
The vital testimonies collected by Education International’s, Afghan Teachers’ Rights Observatory, illustrate the terrible conditions facing teachers and the severe limitations placed on girls’ right to education. Despite the grave risks to their safety and security, teachers and their unions continue to show incredible bravery in fighting for the right to education for all in Afghanistan.
We must not forget their plight. We urge the international community to show the same resilience and determination to deliver the resumption of the right to education for girls and women in Afghanistan.
The UK Government has a moral responsibility to stand with and support the people of Afghanistan through this crisis. We urge the next Government to work with the international community to explore all international avenues to ensure that women’s and girl’s rights are resorted, whilst scaling up humanitarian support to the people of Afghanistan.
The NEU will continue to stand in solidarity with our Afghan sisters and Afghan teachers and their unions. We must not rest until all Afghan women and girls can learn, work and thrive. Let no girl be left behind.