UNESCO has announced it has decided to dedicate this year’s International Day of Education to Afghan women and girls, who are banned from secondary schools and universities by the Taliban.
“UNESCO is dedicating this year’s International Day to girls and women in Afghanistan who have been deprived of their right to education. It is calling for the immediate lifting of the ban restricting their access to education,” the UN agency said in a statement on Friday.
UNESCO’s Director General, Audrey Azoulay, said ” No country in the world should bar women and girls from receiving an education. Education is a universal human right that must be respected. The international community has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of Afghan girls and women are restored without delay. The war against women must stop.”
The theme for International Day of Education 2023 is “Invest in People, Prioritize Education”, the UN General Secretary, António Guterres, said in a message last Tuesday.
UNESCO has said that 244 million children and youth are out of school, and 771 million adults are illiterate across the world.
Five years ago, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
