UNICEF Urges Immediate Reopening of Girls’ Schools in Afghanistan as New Academic Year Begins
Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia, has called for the immediate reopening of school doors for girls in Afghanistan, emphasizing that continued educational deprivation endangers the future of millions of children.
On Thursday, March 26, he wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) page that Afghan girls have long been waiting to return to classrooms and that the start of the academic year should bring hope for all. According to him, education is the starting point for hope, human dignity, and building the future.
The UNICEF regional director asserted, “The time has come to reopen school doors, as hope, dignity, and the future begin with education.” These remarks come amid ongoing restrictions imposed by the Taliban administration that prevent girls above sixth grade from attending school.
UNICEF has previously stated that education is a fundamental right for every child and the foundation for sustainable development in societies. The UN agency has warned that the continued closure of girls’ schools is not only a violation of the right to education but also carries long-term social and economic consequences for the country.
International organizations and child rights activists have repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to take concrete steps to ensure girls’ right to education—a demand that remains unanswered and has heightened concerns about the educational future of Afghan girls.
