Girls will be allowed to return to secondary schools soon, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs has said.
According to international media reports, Qari Saeed Khosty, a spokesman for the interior ministry, has said that the exact timing will be announced by the Ministry of Education.
“In a very short time all the universities and schools will be reopened and all the girls and women will return to school and their teaching jobs,” he said.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August, teenage girls were told to stay home from school until a “safe learning environment” could be established. However, boys in all grades and girls of primary age could return to school.
It was being feared that the Taliban were returning to their hardline rule of 1990s. During this time, women and girls were barred from education and employment.
When the Taliban took power in August, they promised to uphold the rights of girls and women but has since sent mixed signals about women returning to work in government offices and has forced universities to enact policies of gender segregation in order to reopen.
It also named an all-male cabinet, saying women could be included later.
Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, earlier this month condemned the Taliban’s “broken” promises to Afghan women and girls and appealed to the group to fulfil their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law.
“Broken promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan,” the UN chief said. “Women and girls need to be in the centre of attention.”
According to international media reports, Qari Saeed Khosty, a spokesman for the interior ministry, has said that the exact timing will be announced by the Ministry of Education.
“In a very short time all the universities and schools will be reopened and all the girls and women will return to school and their teaching jobs,” he said.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August, teenage girls were told to stay home from school until a “safe learning environment” could be established. However, boys in all grades and girls of primary age could return to school.
It was being feared that the Taliban were returning to their hardline rule of 1990s. During this time, women and girls were barred from education and employment.
When the Taliban took power in August, they promised to uphold the rights of girls and women but has since sent mixed signals about women returning to work in government offices and has forced universities to enact policies of gender segregation in order to reopen.
It also named an all-male cabinet, saying women could be included later.
Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, earlier this month condemned the Taliban’s “broken” promises to Afghan women and girls and appealed to the group to fulfil their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law.
“Broken promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan,” the UN chief said. “Women and girls need to be in the centre of attention.”