Residents in Afghan province of Wardak demand schools for girls

Kabul [Afghanistan], November 6 : Residents of Day Mirdad district in the southern part of Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan demanded the establishment of girls' schools in the province and called for the reopening of schools for girls above sixth grade across the country.
"Go and check that there are no female schools in the upper and lower parts of this district," said Hewadullah, a resident of the Day Mirdad district, as the resident described the plight of girls in the province, TOLOnews reported.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August last year, their draconian measures for women and girls of Kabul have put their future in dark.
Highlighting the situation, another resident of the Day Mirdad district, Rahmatullah said, "Science helps people learn about Allah, and people are not opposed to learning science; instead, they desire education," reported TOLOnews.
"We want our sisters and daughters to attend school so that they can learn their rituals and be able to write," said another resident Sayed Mohammad, in a separate statement.
Several human rights and education activists had urged world leaders in an open letter recently to mount diplomatic pressure on the Taliban to reopen secondary schools for girls in the war-torn country as the Taliban's brutal regime in Afghanistan will soon complete a year in August.
Young girls and women have been compromising with their aspirations as it has been more than 300 days since their development has been distorted, the activists said adding, that if this situation persists, their aims and hopes will suffer greatly, reported Khaama Press.
Taliban has imposed draconian restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement for women and girls.
The Taliban's decision to ban female students above grade six from going to school has drawn widespread criticism at the national and international levels. Further, the Taliban regime which took over Kabul in August last year has curtailed women's rights and freedoms, with women largely excluded from the workforce due to the economic crisis and restrictions.
As a result of this, women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a human rights crisis, deprived of the fundamental rights to non-discrimination, education, work, public participation and health. Afghan women are staring at a bleak future due to a number of restrictions imposed by the Taliban governing aspects of their lives since take over.
According to Human Rights Watch, women and girls are blocked from accessing health care as well. Reports suggest that women and girls facing violence have no escape route. Allowing girls into schools and other educational institutes has been one of the main demands of the international community.