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UNESCO dedicates 2023 Int’l Day of Education to Afghan girls and women
The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO said on Thursday it has decided to dedicate the 2023 International Day of Education (January 24) to Afghan girls and women.
On the occasion of an event to be organized at the UN headquarters in New York, UNESCO will renew its call to immediately restore their fundamental right to education, the agency said.
“No country in the world should bar women and girls from receiving an education. Education is a universal human right that must be respected,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement.
“The international community has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of Afghan girls and women are restored without delay. The war against women must stop,” she added.
Last month, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) suspended university education for women. This followed an earlier directive barring girls from attending secondary school.
According to UNESCO, 2.5 million (80%) of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school, 1.2 million of whom were denied access to secondary schools and universities following the decision of IEA authorities.
The agency said that the decisions by the IEA authorities in Afghanistan threaten to wipe out the development gains made by the country over the past 20 years. From 2001 to 2021, Afghanistan saw a tenfold increase in enrolment at all education levels from around 1 million students to around 10 million, with the support of the international community, including UNESCO.
During this period, the number of girls in primary school increased from almost zero to 2.5 million. Women’s participation in Afghan higher education also increased almost 20 times, from 5,000 students to over 100,000. Literacy rates for women almost doubled, from 17% of women being able to read and write in 2001 to nearly 30% for all age groups combined, UNESCO said.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Wednesday with Yasmine Praz Dessimoz, Director General of Operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to discuss Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the meeting covered the country’s humanitarian needs, the increasing number of returning migrants, healthcare services, and problems and needs remaining from the war.
The two sides emphasized the importance of continuing and expanding the ICRC’s humanitarian cooperation and expressed readiness for greater coordination in healthcare and other humanitarian areas.
The meeting also highlighted that Afghanistan has emerged from a prolonged period of war and has now entered a new phase of development and economic growth. However, some problems and needs of war victims still require attention.
Security officials in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province say the situation in Zebak district is currently stable, but claim that Pakistan is providing shelter and training to opponents of the Islamic Emirate in the Chitral region.
Abdul Basir Mazhari, Badakhshan’s police chief, said opponents of the Islamic Emirate have established shelters and training facilities near the Durand Line in Chitral.
He claimed the groups could attempt to use the Shah Salim Pass to disrupt security in Badakhshan and other northeastern provinces.
“There is evidence that Pakistan has established shelters and training centers for opponents of the government near the Durand Line,” Mazhari said. “Badakhshan is the only province in the north that shares a border with Pakistan, and Pakistan has gathered opponents of the government in Chitral.”
Despite the claims, residents in central Zebak said daily life remains normal and there have been no signs of fighting in the area.
Badakhshan security officials said their forces have been deployed along the Durand Line and remain on standby to respond to any potential threats.
According to local officials, Zebak district has three routes connecting it to areas across the Durand Line, with security forces stationed in the area.
Football fans across Afghanistan can watch Tottenham Hotspur take on Charlton Athletic live on Ariana Television Network (ATN) tonight, Wednesday, August 26, with coverage beginning at 23:15 Kabul time.
The two London clubs meet in the second round of the EFL Cup, with Tottenham looking to progress while Charlton will aim to produce an upset against their Premier League opponents.
Tottenham enter the match as favourites on paper, with their greater top-flight experience expected to make them the stronger side. However, cup football can produce surprises, and Charlton will be looking to take advantage of any opportunity at their disposal.
The match provides Tottenham with another chance to build momentum early in the season, while Charlton will see the tie as an opportunity to test themselves against one of England’s biggest clubs.
The EFL Cup remains an important route to silverware for clubs across the English football pyramid, with teams aiming to advance through each round toward the final at Wembley.
Afghanistan fans can watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic live tonight on Ariana Television, from 23:15 Kabul time.
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