UN to bypass Taliban in providing funds to Afghan teachers; 'Only way to help girls there'

As the all-men Taliban government failed to implement the ideas of making an "ideal Afghanistan", the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), on Thursday, decided to bypass the extremist group. According to a report by Khaama Press, UNICEF has decided to set up a system that would offer funding to Afghanistan-based teachers directly without taking the help of the Taliban. Afghan Chief of Education of UNICEF Jeannette Vogelaar said that the registration of public school teachers would begin so as to make them part of the system, reported Khaama Press citing her interview to a news agency. 

She said that the decision was made against the backdrop of the blockade of money to the Taliban-led administration by the International community. Notably, the Taliban government banned the entry of women in educational institutes and most workplaces since they ousted the democratically-elected government in August this year. Since then, female students, teachers and professors protesting against the oppressive rule is a common sight in the national capital, Kabul. Meanwhile, UNICEF officials have stressed that this is the only way to help reopen schools for girls in Afghanistan. 

UN agency monitors Taliban actions against women education 

It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time when UN officials have expressed grave concerns about women education. Earlier, the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) representative in Afghanistan Salam Al-Janabi has said that the agency is waiting to see whether the Taliban will allow girls to access education in the country as high schools for girls in most provinces in Afghanistan remain closed. "When it comes to girls' education, UNICEF is waiting to see if the rhetoric will match the reality on the ground," the UNICEF representative said. "In most provinces, with the exception of five in the northern region, high schools for girls remain closed," Al-Janabi told Sputnik.

UNICEF calls for opening schools, community-based education classes and universities to all girls and young women, he added.

Reports of harassment and brutalities against women in Afghanistan

Despite security forces stopping the female protestors, they continued their demonstration while staying firm on their demands. According to TOLO News, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabiullah Mujahid stated that the protestors could get permission for education from the Ministry of Justice. It should be mentioned here that violence against rights activists and protesters in Afghanistan has become a common occurrence after the Taliban took over the country's government. Reports of harassment and brutalities against women had started emerging in the war-ravaged country since the very first day of the Taliban's takeover. Despite grave threats from the terror outfit, a number of women are organising protests in cities across the country, demanding rights that they have been denied under the extremist regime. 

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: ANI