US State Department continues to ‘engage’ with IEA over education for girls

A US State Department official says that in all their engagements with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) they advocate for girls’ education.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Beth van Schaack, Ambassador-at-large for Global Criminal Justice, said: “When it comes to girls’ education, indeed this is one of the most unconscionable acts of the Taliban, to deny young girls the ability to plan their own life paths, to operate in public, to have – to contribute to the growth and vibrancy of that particular society.

“And so in all of our engagements there we are constantly pushing to have some of those restrictions be relaxed. We have a special envoy who’s dedicated to women and girls and their plight within Afghanistan, and she is constantly engaging with officials in an effort to improve the situation and life for girls and women,” she said.

The Islamic Emirate has however defended its decisions and actions against women and says that they have been treated according to Islamic Sharia and asks the international community not to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.