Malala Yousafzai: The Taliban Have Taken Away Afghan Girls’ Right to Education

Malala Yousafzai, an education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, says that the Taliban have taken away Afghan girls’ right to education.

Speaking on Sunday, January 12th during the second day of the conference “Education for Muslim Girls: Opportunities and Challenges” in Islamabad, Ms. Yousafzai stated: “Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls do not have the right to education beyond the 6th grade. Over the past three and a half years, the Taliban have deprived every Afghan girl of the right to learn.”

In her speech, she called on leaders and scholars from Islamic countries to raise their voices and present the true face of Islam.

In another part of her speech, Yousafzai addressed the situation of education in Gaza, saying that Israel has destroyed the entire education system in Gaza. She described Gaza’s educational system as follows: “They [Israel] have bombed all the universities, destroyed over 90 percent of schools, and have indiscriminately attacked civilians who had taken refuge in school buildings.”

This renowned education activist added, “I will continue to protest against the violation of international law and human rights by Israel.”

Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Special Representative in Afghanistan, at this meeting, described the factors behind the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan as multi-dimensional and said that ensuring girls’ access to education requires dialogue at all levels.

At the meeting, Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Isa, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, indirectly referring to the Taliban, said, “We reject the considerations of those who, using the name of Islam, prevent girls from receiving an education.”

The “Education for Muslim Girls: Opportunities and Challenges” conference was held for two days, initiated by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, with the support of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and hosted by Pakistan.

The Taliban had also been invited to this conference, but according to Khalid Maqbool, the Pakistani Minister of Education, the group refused to attend.

The Taliban have not yet commented on their absence from the conference.

Since their return to power on August 15, 2021 , the Taliban have gradually banned girls above the 6th grade from education.

During their first rule, from 1996 to 2001 , the Taliban had also banned women and girls from work and education.