MOSCOW – The European Union yesterday condemned the Taliban’s decision to ban over one million Afghan girls from receiving secondary education, and believes that this lowers the movement’s chances to gain the “desired” legitimacy.
Last Wednesday, the Afghan education ministry announced that girls are allowed to attend classes only up to sixth grade, while older girls must wait until further notice.
“The European Union and its member states, together with international partners, have condemned the decision of the Taliban to deny until further notice secondary level education for over one million Afghan girls. This is a blatant violation of the fundamental right to education for all children, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and several international human rights instruments, of which Afghanistan is a state party,” the EU Council statement said, reported Sputnik.
This decision lowers the Taliban’s chances of gaining the legitimacy they seek, the statement noted, adding that it is also a reversal of the Taliban’s public commitments and assurances given to the people and international partners.
“We cannot work with this (Taliban) government, if it continues moving away from the parameters that we feel are extremely important for them to be considered as a counterpart, so this puts us in a very tricky situation,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday.
It is extremely bad for Afghanistan’s future, Borrell added.
The swift ascension to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan in August of last year triggered economic disarray and food shortages that have pushed the country to the brink of a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of Afghans have fled the country fearful of the Taliban, widespread violation of human rights, and the deprivation of freedom for women and girls.
In September, the Taliban established an interim government led by Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the former deputy foreign minister and deputy prime minister of Afghanistan in the first Taliban government. – Bernama, March 29, 2022
