UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett Urges Immediate End to Ban on Girls’ Education in Afghanistan
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights for Afghanistan, has once again called on the Taliban administration to immediately lift the ban on educating girls above the sixth grade. He emphasized that continuing these restrictions is a clear violation of basic human rights and poses a serious threat to Afghanistan’s future.
In a message marking the New Year, Bennett noted that Afghanistan is the only country where the start of the new year coincides with the beginning of the school year while girls are denied access to education. According to him, this situation not only conflicts with fundamental human rights principles but also carries long-term social and economic consequences for the country.
He described the imposed restrictions on girls’ education as “unacceptable” and added that education is a fundamental right of every human being, and no political or social conditions can revoke this right. Bennett stressed that access to education for Afghan girls must be ensured as soon as possible.
Over the past four years, international organizations, human rights activists, and many residents of the country have repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to reopen schools and universities to girls, but these calls have so far gone unanswered.
Experts warn that the continuation of this policy deprives millions of girls of a bright future and severely damages Afghanistan’s social and economic development—a responsibility directly attributable to the Taliban administration.
