02.07.2023
Girls schools remain closed for the past two years since the Taliban came to power.
Despite repeated demands from religious scholars, national leaders, civil society organizations, and the international community, schools weren’t opened, instead universities were also closed for female students and people’s demands were suppressed. Although some authorities term this ban a temporary one and relates it to the development of new plans, new curriculum, and conducive conditions, however there seems to be no hope yet.
Seeking knowledge is a religious obligation as well as a fundamental human right. Its people’s demand and is a prerequisite of sovereignty, stability, prosperity and self-reliance of a nation. Thus the ban on girls’ education is intolerable and unacceptable. To achieve this fundamental right of our daughters a large group of Afghan academics, religious scholars, national and social figures, have decided to launch a national and inclusive campaign. This campaign is apolitical and peaceful movement and the core objective is to open learning institutions for girls.
The arguments put forward as an excuse for the ban are not only convincing to the people even the authorities know its weaknesses.
Based on the contradictory arguments of the authorities we are concerned that:
Do they doubt the Islamic rules regarding education?
Are they incapable of developing relevant plans?
Are they incapable of providing security to their daughters?
As an excuse for the curriculum, do they want different Islamic principles for boys and girls?
Do they support an ignorant culture contrary to the Islamic principles and human rights?
Are they exploiting basic rights of our children for political leverage?
And are they unable to decide themselves and others are imposing their decisions?
If these concerns are invalid, we call on the authorities to respect people’s demands and don’t ignore the future of people and country. They should realize that girls’ education is our nation’s red line. Crossing this line is confrontation with the Afghan nation and this confrontation is not in the interest of the rulers as well as our nation.
Waiting and patience for two years is too much but postponing such a significant national issue is endangering national interests. Girls’ education is such a right that is recognized by the whole world. It’s the responsibility of the nation to take the right of its girls from anyone who has denied it. We call upon our people to ask for the right to education for their girls similarly as they do for their boys and continue to ask for their legitimate, peaceful and civil rights from the rulers and the international community.
For better coordination we request people to join this national campaign and echo our voice. We firmly believe that If people are united no one can violate their rights.
We call upon OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) and renowned religious scholars of the Islamic world to convince current Afghan rulers that denying girls education is not only against the interests of the Islamic Ummah rather it displays a distorted picture and misunderstanding about Islam.
We also call upon the international community to continue supporting girls’ education and consider ways to avoid violating Afghanistan’s national interests and harming its people and convince and encourage authorities to lift the ban.
With the hope that the girls’ schools will be opened, our sisters and daughters will no longer be hopeless and suffer mentally and our people will not migrate and suffer for their daughters’ education.
وَمَا عَلَينَا إِلَّا ٱلبَلَٰغُ ٱلمُبِينُ ﴾And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message)
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