Afghan Girls Appeal to the UN to Protect Women’s Education

Somaya Faruqi, the former captain of the Afghan girls' robotics team, broke down in tears backstage after pleading with world leaders at the United Nations to protect women's education and rights in Afghanistan.

In August last year, Faruqi left Afghanistan when the Taliban seized power and the United States and allies withdrew forces after a 20-year conflict. She urged world leaders gathered for the high-level UN General Assembly meeting in New York this week to unite and demand the reopening of girls' schools and protection of their rights.

Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan in 2012, criticized heads of state for their lack of action.

“Most of you know what exactly needs to be done. You must not make small, stingy and short-term pledges, but commit to uphold the right to complete education and close the funding gap once and for all,” Yousafzai made a statement on Monday.

According to reports, the Taliban changed their minds about opening high schools for girls in March. Because of tighter restrictions and Afghanistan's economic crisis, most teenage girls do not have access to classrooms and thousands of women have been forced out of the workforce, international development agencies said.

In accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law, the Taliban says it respects women's rights and is working on opening girls' high schools since March.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the Taliban to "immediately lift all restrictions on girls' access to secondary education" at the Transforming Education Summit on Monday, according to a report by Reuters.