Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has again called for schools and universities in Afghanistan to reopen for girls, marking World Science Day for Peace and Development on Tuesday 10 November, according to VoxRevo and Taneen TV. In a message posted on the day, Karzai said Afghanistan, like every human society, needs science, knowledge and education, and that the country can only overcome its difficulties when learning is available to all citizens, including girls and women.
Girls in Afghanistan have been barred from attending school beyond the sixth grade and from universities since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, according to Taneen TV. That makes Afghanistan the only country in the world where girls are subject to such sweeping education bans, according to earlier reporting on the restrictions. Karzai has made the same appeal repeatedly, and this latest message is a renewed call rather than a new policy development — but it comes as the ban enters its sixth year with no reopening date in sight.
In his statement, Karzai stressed that science, knowledge and education are fundamental to the stability, development and well-being of societies, according to VoxRevo. He argued that Afghanistan needs broad access to education and learning opportunities to address its current challenges and build a better future, and that the country can reduce its dependence on other nations only when educational opportunities are open to all citizens, including girls and women, according to VoxRevo and Elum News.
International organisations have repeatedly warned about the consequences of the restrictions. UNESCO and UNICEF have said the bans threaten Afghanistan's future development and undermine the country's social and economic progress, according to Elum News. The head of UNICEF has previously warned that Afghan girls confined to their homes face few prospects beyond early marriage, according to reporting on the agency's statements. Karzai's message echoes those warnings, framing girls' education as essential not only for the girls themselves but for the country's economic development, social progress and long-term stability, according to VoxRevo.
Taliban officials have previously described the restrictions as temporary and linked to their interpretation of Islamic law, but no timeline has been given for reopening schools, leaving millions of Afghan girls without access to formal education. Karzai, who has stayed in Afghanistan since the Taliban's return, has said he has raised the issue repeatedly with Taliban officials and that some agree with his position. For now, the ban remains in place, and the former president's latest appeal is another reminder of how long Afghan girls have waited to return to their classrooms.