Exclusive: Afghan women ask United Nations to restore right to education under Taliban rule

About 11,000 km away from Kabul, the United Nations has convened for its 78th General Assembly where the world leaders will alsodiscuss the rights of Afghan women and children. In Kabul, Ghazala (22) misses the time she spent at her university.

It was during that typically dreadful exam season in Afghanistan in December 2022 that the Taliban ordered universities to shut their doors for millions of girls of her age and beyond.

But Ghazala, who was top of her class, and her classmates were excited for the new beginnings of a new semester that appeared just a few weeks away. Only to witness Taliban extremists turn the clock in opposite direction.

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"They snatched away our smiles. Our abilities are now locked at home," Ghazala told WION in Dari language from Kabul over a phone interview.

Ghazala wondered the rights of Afghan women have become the bargaining chip for Taliban to legitimise their authority on international landscape.

"Our current government is not recognising that we have rights but at least the rest of the world should," said theformer Political Science student.

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Unicef, the United Nations children’s agency, says more than one million girls are affected by the ban on education, but local non-profits put the number at several million.

"Please ensure that our right to study is restored," Ghazala said, as her throat wentheavy.

Controlling her tears, she gave this message for the world's leaders: "We just want access to our schools and universities. Please restore our right to study, and freedom to dream for a better future."

Officially, Taliban has banned girls beyond sixth grade from attending schools.

But Afghanistan's extremist rulershave instructed schools and educational institutes to not permit girls to attend primary school, even if they are above the age of 10.

'Taliban think womenare good at kitchen or better dead'

Gulnoor (28), a school administrator at a city in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, is deeply disappointed with the United Nations.

"Agendas are taken up, discussions take place, but no decisions are made in Afghan women's favour," Gulnoor told WION.

She asks of United Nations: "Since two years, the education is banned in this country. They [Taliban] have banned us from most of the jobs. Talibs think we are either good at kitchen or better dead.Don't they [United Nations] know all of this?"

"Nobody is serious about restoring our rights. I swear we are tired of this," Gulnoor said.

The Taliban, however, have allowed women to pursue nursing courses but the hardliner rulers have banned virtually every vocation that may involve a potential intermingling between men and women.

Dr Sona, a medical professional, was denied a job at a Kabul clinic last year. A few months ago, she was allowed to begin her practiceat a Comprehensive Health Center (CHC). When WION spoke to her in December, Dr Sona was distraught.

This time around, she is willing to believe in a hope for change.

"We want nothing but restoration of education rights. Please reopen our schools and universities. We just want freedom to study. This is all we want if they [UN] are listening," Dr Sona said.

(The names in the story have been changed to protect identities.)

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