IRC response to girls being turned away from schools in Afghanistan

In response to girls being turned away from schools across Afghanistan this week, Vicki Aken, IRC Afghanistan Director, said,

“Reports that girls are being turned away from schools across Afghanistan represent a catastrophic step backwards for Afghan children. Conflict and COVID-19 have already set back access to education for millions across the country – we must not risk another lost generation in Afghanistan.

“Last year, IRC teams spoke with teenage girls in Kabul who were excited to be given the chance to continue their education. In barring them from entering classrooms, the Taliban are undermining efforts to rebuild Afghanistan. We hope to see the Taliban reverse this decision and not renege on their pledge to ensure education for every child in the country.”

The IRC began work in Afghanistan in 1988, and now works with thousands of villages across ten provinces, with Afghans making up more than 99% of IRC staff in the country. As Afghanistan struggles to recover from ongoing conflict and natural disasters, the IRC: works with local communities to identify, plan and manage their own development projects, provides safe learning spaces in rural areas, community-based education, cash distribution provides uprooted families with tents, clean water, sanitation and other basic necessities, and helps people find livelihood opportunities as well as extensive resilience programming.