Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said in his Nowruz message that in the new year, girls above the sixth grade in Afghanistan will continue to be deprived of attending school. Bennett wrote on Sunday, March 21, on his X page that educational restrictions must be lifted, adding that not only schoolgirls but also female university students are barred from attending universities. He said, “I remind that Afghanistan is the only country where the start of a new academic year arrives while girls above the sixth grade are not allowed to continue their education.” Bennett described the situation as “unacceptable” and called for the immediate removal of these restrictions. International organizations have repeatedly warned that depriving girls of education, in addition to affecting their individual futures, will have widespread social and economic consequences for Afghan society as a whole. After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, the group imposed widespread restrictions on women and girls and banned them from education in schools and universities.
