Afghanistan: UNICEF concerned over likely halt in operation of NGOs in education, reiterates every child has right to learn

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 9 : UNICEF has raised concerns that if international non-governmental organisations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate in Afghanistan, it will affect highly affect the education of the children in the war-torn nation, TOLOnews reported.

TOLO News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul.

Reiterating once again that every child has the right to learn, UNICEF said in a statement that Afghanistan could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to work.

"As the lead agency for the education cluster in Afghanistan, UNICEF is deeply concerned about reports that over 500,000 children, including over 300,000 girls, could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate and if handovers to national NGOs are done without comprehensive assessment and capacity building," the UNICEF said, as they called out Taliban to look into the education of children in the country, reported TOLOnews.

Fazal Saberi, the head of an NGO, expressed fear that if these NGOs stopped operating, Afghan children's access to education would be permanently gone.

"Such suspension of (NGOs) operations will damage the education of Afghanistan and the Afghan children will be vulnerable," said Suraya Paikan, a women's rights activist, according to TOLOnews.

Afghanistan, under the Taliban, is facing its worst humanitarian crisis and the women of the country are denied fundamental rights.

According to a World Food Programme assessment, Afghanistan is one of the nations with extreme food insecurity, with nine million people affected by severe economic difficulties and hunger. The Taliban has also barred women from working at NGOs in Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021, it has consistently placed restrictions on women and girls, preventing them from participating in public life, employment, or education.

Taliban leaders have not only disregarded international calls for women and girls to be given access to education and employment. Apparently, they have also issued warnings to other nations not to meddle in Afghanistan's domestic affairs.

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