Taliban's ban on girls' education to cause irreparable damage if not reversed: UN Special Envoy

Doha: Taliban`s decision of banning girls` education will cause irreparable damage to Afghanistan if not reversed, said Deborah Lyons, UN Special Representative in a meeting in Qatar with Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban member who currently serves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan`s official spokesman at their Doha office.

Taking to Twitter, UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) wrote, "Taliban decision on girls` education will cause irreparable damage to Afghanistan if not reversed. @DeborahLyonsUN message to the Taliban today, meeting in Qatar with their Doha office head @suhailsaheen1."

Taliban decision on girls’ education will cause irreparable damage to Afghanistan if not reversed.
@DeborahLyonsUN message to the Taliban today, meeting in Qatar with their Doha office head @suhailsaheen1 pic.twitter.com/pVKNgXDl39 — UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews) March 25, 2022

UNAMA deplored the announcement by the Taliban that they are further extending their indefinite ban on female students above the 6th grade being permitted to return to school. 

Notably, as the new school year begins in Afghanistan, the Taliban has announced that the boys can continue their education normally, however, the doors of the schools will be closed to girls beyond the sixth grade.

Earlier, Taliban acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met the UN Special Representative and discussed human rights, humanitarian assistance, development projects, the banking sector, economic growth, and other issues.

Dozens of students have rallied in Kabul on Friday to protest the Taliban`s decision to block girls` schools. 

A number of protestors chanted slogans against the Taliban. One of the slogans said, "No religion has blocked education and the ban on educating girls is blatant gender discrimination."

Condemning the Taliban`s move of not reopening secondary schools for Afghan girls, the United States and its allies have called on the group to revoke its decision.

A joint statement issued by Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union has condemned the Taliban`s decision on Wednesday to deny so many Afghan girls the opportunity to finally go back to school. 

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