Girls’ education in Afghanistan

UNICEF reportsed that less than 1 million children could study during Taliban regime. After the Taliban’s regime fall, the government of Afghanistan started to revitalize children’s education. Additionally, it was forbidden for females to attend and study at schools. Today’s Afghan children have more opportunity to study rather than 3 decades ago. In modern Afghanistan female students can study just as their male counterparts can. However, the girls’ education is still a main issue for the Afghan government. 60% of 4.2 million children who do not get education are girls. Moreover, 200 schools out of 412 urban andrural schools in the country are not attended by female students from grades10-12. There are a number of challenges for girls’ education in Afghanistan such as the distance to the schools, lack of female teachers, and early marriage.

The long distance to school is one of the biggest problems for female students to go to school.  Many Afghan girls in rural areas could attend school if they were near their houses. Cultural norms enforce women and girls to stay at home and be escorted by a male relative. Their parents do not allow them to go out alone unaccompanied. Naturally, there are a few schools in rural areas which are close to their houses. First of all, it is not easy to travel for long distances from their houses to schools and back to homes for young girls. Second of all, it is too dangerous for them. Female students can be injured, assaulted and killed walking to school and back to their homes. It is an issue of safety for their parents.

            During the Taliban’s regime, many female teachers were harassed. Many schools for girls were burnt down or shut down in the South and East. Taliban extremists prevented women from going anywhere without a male relative accompanying them. Also, female teachers were forced to leave their jobs. This led them to become beggars or even worse prostitutes. Today’s situation has changed slightly in Afghanistan. Approximately 30% ofteachers throughout the country are women, but there is a lack of qualified women teachers. The shortage of women teachers is the main issue why parents do not allow their daughters to attend. They are still conservative toward having their girls taught by male teachers. As well, Islamic extremists still threaten administration for girls by attacking the schools.

Early marriage is the most challenging issue for young girls to remain in school. The legal age for getting married is from 16 to 17. In reality, many parents of young girls get them engaged and married by 12. Approximately 50% of Afghan girls got married by this age. The cases of early marriage often happen in poor rural areas. Consequently, 60% of girls get married by 16. Many Afghan parents give their girls in marriage because of their debts, bride-price or for solving some conflicts. Often many old rich Afghan men take girls from poor families. Also, it is easier for poor parentsto marry girls rather than to spend money to keep them. After getting married, girls drop their studies and never go back to school.

Afghanistan’s Constitution acknowledge the right for males and females to get an education. Secondary education is free of charge in Afghanistan. By laws, there is equity between women and men in access to education, but girls have to fight for their rights to get an education and the harassment still goes on.