KABUL: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated that as it commemorates the International Day of Girls and Women in Science, 1,607 days have passed since girls over the age of 12 in Afghanistan have been denied education. UNAMA on Wednesday has once again called for the lifting of this ban, emphasizing that more than four years of educational opportunities for girls have been lost. According to the organization, without the participation of women and girls in crucial sectors of society, the future of the country will face serious challenges. Since the Taliban returned to power in the summer of 2021, they halted education for girls beyond the sixth grade. A year later, universities were also closed to girls, and subsequently, they were barred from continuing their studies in medical institutes. During this time, the United Nations, several countries, and human rights organizations have repeatedly called for the lifting of educational restrictions, but no changes have been made to these decisions thus far.
