Everything can be compromised, but not education. Since August 2021, no one has been safe. Among all, students, particularly the girls have been paying the price of regime change with their basic rights of access to education. Soon after gaining power in August, the Taliban closed the education doors. In response to the reaction of the people and the international community, they gradually reopened the school doors to boys only and argued that the environment for girls to return to schools is not enabled yet. As soon as they manage to enable a safe environment for girls, they will allow girls to attend their classes as usual, which did not happen till spring 1401.
Taliban had promised to reopen the education doors to girls this spring, but at the very last minute, they stepped back and argued that the uniforms are not aligned with the Islamic values and the schools’ doors to girls will remain closed till further notice. The move prompted a backlash in the public, media and international organizations. Since then, several statements condemning the Taliban’s decision and supporting Afghan schoolgirls by international community, people, and political figures have been issued.
The recent move by the Taliban and their false promise provoked backlash and reactions at the international level. U.S. Government Representatives and Taliban were supposed to meet in Qatar to discuss the diplomatic and economical issues so as to take the relation one step ahead, the recent irrational and inhuman move by Taliban on banning education for girls suspended the talks. U.S. officials and the international community have very clearly declared that diplomatic development with Taliban is directly linked with their behavior and commitments towards human rights and method of governance they adapt. As long as Taliban insist on their outdated ideologies, they will make the life difficult for themselves and decrease the chances of gaining recognition.
Simultaneously, in response to the backward move of Taliban concerning girls’ education, donor community have warned that they will cut off the funds and possibly stop funding the education sector as long as the Taliban do not cooperate accordingly. The recent change in Taliban’s decision concerning girls education has no religious motive and logic, but political. The Taliban are victimizing girls and women to gain an upper hand during negotiation with the international community.
Taliban’s arguments on the ground are as weak as they even can convince an ordinary citizen. The citizens criticize Taliban that they do not know anything out of religion. What they are claiming to be religious is nothing more than false hearsays they have learned in Haqqani Madrasas in Pakistan. Afghanistan is a pure Islamic state and the girls’ uniforms are way Islamic than many other Islamic states. There are evidences that Taliban leaders’ daughters are enrolled in the top schools and universities in neighboring and European countries. In contrast to their false ideologies, they do not have any issue with their way of clothing and uniforms, but when it comes to Afghanistan, they are trying to politicize every matter for the sack of gaining negotiation power.
This is the time that people in the country should forgive each other and fight back for their rights collectively and the international community should very actively and quickly act before it gets too late. “We can comprise with everything, but not with education.” Education is our red line and compromise with this value is not accepted.
