Hamid Karzai Urges Reopening of Schools for Girls on World Science Day

Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, coinciding with World Science Day for Peace and Development, emphasized the country’s need for universal education to achieve self-sufficiency and solve problems, once again calling for the reopening of schools and universities for girls…

Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, on November 10, designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as World Science Day for Peace and Development, reiterated the urgent need to reopen schools and universities to girls. Mr. Karzai stated that Afghanistan needs universal and inclusive education to solve its problems and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Call to Lift the Ban on Education

The former President of Afghanistan, in a note published on social media, expressed hope that the doors of schools above the sixth grade and universities would reopen to girls as soon as possible. He also urged the youth of Afghanistan to utilize every opportunity to gain knowledge and education.

The Taliban, after regaining power, fully closed girls’ schools above the sixth grade and universities, an action that faced a strong and widespread backlash from the people of Afghanistan and the international community, but the Taliban have disregarded these criticisms.

Severe Consequences of Deprivation of Education

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) previously announced that by the end of this Gregorian year, the number of girls in Afghanistan who will be deprived of the right to education will exceed 2.2 million.

This international organization noted that the house arrest of millions of Afghan girls has had widespread negative effects on society. UNICEF stated that it is documenting the increase in mental health problems, early marriage, and high birth rates following the ban on education in Afghanistan, and these issues indicate the dimensions of the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from this ban.