The Women’s Freedom and Thought Foundation of Afghanistan, in a statement marking the start of the new academic year, has said that depriving girls of their right to education constitutes a clear violation of the principles of equality, social justice, and human dignity.
The statement, published today (Sunday, 22 March 2026), notes that the continuation of the ban on girls’ education reflects the continuation of a discriminatory policy that poses a serious threat to the future of an entire generation.
The Women’s Freedom and Thought Foundation of Afghanistan has called on the United Nations, UNESCO, UNICEF, and other international human rights organizations to take practical, effective, and serious measures against the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan.
The foundation calls for the immediate and unconditional removal of all educational restrictions for girls and ensuring equal, safe, and sustainable access to education for girls throughout Afghanistan.
The statement emphasizes that education plays a fundamental role in individual and social development and is the foundation of progress, stability, and prosperity in any society. Therefore, the ban on girls’ education not only carries negative economic, social, and cultural consequences, but can also seriously undermine the process of development and sustainable stability.
The Women’s Freedom and Thought Foundation of Afghanistan has stressed that a just, stable, and developed future cannot be achieved without equal access to education for girls and the active participation of women.
While the new academic year in cold provinces, including Kabul, begins tomorrow, the ban on education beyond the sixth grade for girls still remains in place. After returning to power in 1400, the Taliban banned education for girls above the sixth grade.
