Activists, political parties call on Taliban to reopen girls' schools 'as soon as possible'

Kabul [Afghanistan], April 22 : Several activists and political parties on Thursday called on the Taliban to reopen schools for girls in Afghanistan "as soon as possible".
During the press conference in Kabul, Civil society groups, political parties, and ethnic councils urged the Taliban to explain to the people the main reason for the closing of girls' schools, TOLO news reported.
"What kind of problem is this that has taken the fate of Afghan girls hostage? What special measures are we waiting for? Why is the main issue not shared with the people and the people are kept in the dark?" said Momand Mohammadi, a civil activist, according to TOLOnews.
"We very respectfully request that the schools be opened to our students as soon as possible and that no more time be wasted," said Abeda Majdi, a religious scholar.
Some of the teachers and students who attended the conference said that girls' right to education should not be politicized.
They asked the international community to pay serious attention to the education of Afghan girls.
"The exclusion of women from society and the banning of girls from school is a clear act of oppression. Please do not politicize education, we want our rights, we want education," said Munawara Qureshi, a student, according to TOLOnews.
Earlier, the Taliban issued a decree banning female students above grade six from attending their classes in schools. The girls were further told to stay home until the Islamic Emirate announces its next decision.
The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe backlash across the world with the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union issuing a joint statement to condemn the Taliban's decision to deny Afghan girls the opportunity to go back to schools.
Meanwhile, the envoys and representatives of the European Union, US, and the European countries in a joint statement have also said that the international aid to Kabul will depend on Afghanistan's ability to ensure access to education for girls at all levels, said a media report.
In the joint statement, the envoys and the representatives have said that the type and scope of "international donor assistance will depend, among other things, on the right and ability of girls to attend equal education at all levels," reported TOLOnews.
The joint statement further stressed that the progress towards normalized relations between the Taliban and the international community will depend mostly on Kabul's actions and delivery on commitments and obligations to the Afghan people and to the international community.