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IEA imposes strict dress codes on the few girls schools still open
Despite the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) decision to suspend schooling for teenage girls, Human Rights Watch found that a number of girls’ schools, mostly in Balkh province, are still open but have strict dress codes in place.
According to the watchdog, many girls’ secondary schools have remained open in the province since the IEA took power but that they have been threatened with closure if they refuse to comply with the rules.
HRH stated in a report that one Balkh school was closed for several days after some students had their faces uncovered, while another school now has a teacher assigned to “prevent vice and promote virtue.”
“The requirements on hijab are getting tougher day by day,” said a teacher.
“They have spies to record and report.… If students or teachers don’t follow their strict hijab rules, without any discussion they fire the teachers and expel the students,” the teacher said.
She shared a photo with HRW of her school’s assembly; students and teachers all wore uniforms allowing only their eyes to show.
A student at another school explained: “We are not allowed to wear belts. Our sleeves should be large to hide our elbows and the shape of our arms. But then we were reprimanded because when we write on the board, our sleeves roll back and our arms are revealed.… One day we are asked to have loose sleeves, and the next day we are admonished for it.”
The latest order, she said, was to wear loose sleeves but pin them at the wrist.
“All the girls in my school believe the Taliban (IEA) authorities want to make it so harsh and strict on us that we give up on education on our own,” the student said, adding that she and her classmates are still determined to study.
Following these demands, the US Representative for Women in Afghanistan reiterated that the issue of girls’ schools should be taken seriously by the Islamic Emirate.
In an interview with VOA, Rina Amiri said that the closure of girls’ schools puts not only girls and women but the entire population at risk of poverty; it creates widespread hardship and instability
“It is not possible to deprive 50% of the population of their rights altogether and expect that this action will have better results, any measure that continues in this way and is not taken seriously by the Taliban, the country will suffer catastrophic consequences,” said Amiri.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
Ten people killed by floods in Helmand
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