Statement by Displaced International on the World Muslim League Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities
The World Muslim League International Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities in Islamabad, Pakistan, underscores a critical issue of our time: the need to prioritize education for girls as a cornerstone of societal progress. This gathering is an opportunity to address both the challenges and opportunities faced by girls, particularly in regions where systemic barriers hinder their access to education.
Amid this global discussion, we must turn our collective attention to one of the gravest crises of gender-based discrimination and human rights violations in the world today: the institutionalized gender apartheid imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Since the premature withdrawal of NATO forces in 2021, the Taliban have systematically dismantled the progress made over two decades. From 2001 to 2021, the international community, with significant contributions from American taxpayers and under four U.S. administrations, facilitated unprecedented advancements for Afghan women and girls. Millions of Afghan girls enrolled in schools and universities, a Ministry of Women’s Affairs was established, and Afghan women assumed leadership roles in government and diplomacy. By 2021, Afghanistan’s parliament included 27.3% female representation—surpassing that of many established democracies.
Health care for Afghan women also improved dramatically during this period. By 2016, 57% of Afghans lived within a one-hour walk of a health facility, compared to just 9% in 2002. Trained midwives and skilled birth attendants reduced maternal mortality, saving countless lives.
However, since regaining power, the Taliban have issued over 100 decrees stripping Afghan women and girls of basic rights, including bans on secondary and tertiary education, employment, and freedom of movement. Most recently, the Taliban’s leader banned medical education for women. With male medical professionals prohibited from treating female patients, this edict leaves Afghan women with no access to life-saving care—a policy tantamount to gender-based genocide.
The United Nations Human Rights Council has condemned these measures as “grave, worsening, widespread, and systematic oppression.” The Council rightly described the Taliban’s actions as a system of institutionalized discrimination and gender apartheid—a crime against humanity. Yet, despite widespread international condemnation, effective action remains elusive.
The international community cannot stand idly by while Afghan women and girls face such unimaginable oppression. Gender apartheid is a root cause of forced displacement, with over eight million Afghans displaced since 2021. Thousands of families have fled to neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran, seeking education and safety for their daughters. These families, many of whom spend their life savings to secure a future for their children, deserve our unwavering support.
We call on world leaders to take decisive action against the Taliban’s regime and its gross violations of human rights. The international community must:
- Impose targeted sanctions on the Taliban leadership while ensuring humanitarian aid reaches the Afghan people.
- Press for accountability by recognizing gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and seeking justice under international law.
- Provide safe pathways for resettlement for Afghan women and girls fleeing oppression, ensuring access to education and opportunities.
- Engage with neighboring countries to support displaced Afghan families and prevent the erosion of women’s rights beyond Afghanistan.
The plight of Afghan women and girls is not merely a regional issue—it is a global moral imperative. Education is a universal right and a cornerstone of peace, stability, and progress. Let this conference serve as a rallying cry for collective action. We must not allow the dreams and futures of millions of Afghan women and girls to be extinguished.
World leaders, the time to act is now.
