Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, shared his thoughts on recent comments by Abbas Stanekzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister. He found them promising, especially regarding girls’ education in Afghanistan.
Khalilzad urged the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls. He highlighted how the current ban has left millions of Afghan girls without an education.
He mentioned that a recent Islamic International Conference on Girls’ Education declared that girls should have equal rights to education in Islam.
Stanekzai’s insightful remarks criticized the Taliban’s ban on education for girls, labeling it “cruel, unjust, and wrong.” Khalilzad echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that such policies harm approximately 20 million Afghan women and girls. He called for the reopening of educational institutions to align with the Afghan New Year in March.
Khalilzad encouraged religious leaders, Taliban members who disagree with the ban, and all Afghans to voice their concerns. He passionately stated, “High schools and universities should be opened with the start of the Afghan New Year on March 21.”
Rina Amiri, the outgoing U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights, reinforced the need for continued pressure on the Taliban. She advocated for reversing the policies that limit the rights of Afghan women and girls, affecting their access to education, mobility, and medical care.
Meanwhile, many Afghan women, especially students, are frustrated by the lack of action from the international community. Zahra, a high school student affected by the ban, voiced her concerns: “For three years, our fate has been unclear. We don’t know what will happen. Those who can solve this problem only react, but take no practical steps.”
The recent summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) addressed girls’ education, concluding with a strong statement against the Taliban’s ban. They clarified that such a prohibition has no basis in Islam and should not be linked to the faith.
On Saturday, Stanekzai boldly challenged the Taliban’s stance, stating, “The ban on girls’ education has no basis in Sharia law. There is no justification for keeping schools and universities closed to girls.”
