Resistance Against Women’s Education in Afghanistan

Education is an important factor for the development of a country, and an effective tool to reduce poverty, to improve health, gender equality, peace, and stability in a country. Based on Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS), everyone has the right to get the primary education, which will give them the skills to continue learning throughout their life, according to article 43 of the Constitution of Afghanistan: all citizens have the right to an education and it is offered by State institutions without charging any fees. Also, the State is responsible for preparing and implementing effective educational programs equally all over the country. Add to this "The government aims to increase literacy, improve quality of education, expand the capacity of the education system to absorb more students, increase equal access to education for all, improve opportunities for and quality of higher education, and expand the capacity and improve the quality of vocational education and skills building." (ANDS, 14) Unfortunately, most Afghans cannot use this right, especially women and girls and this did not change throughout the Afghan history in the 20th century. Beginning from the period of King Amanullah Khan from 1919 to 1929, the King Zahir Shah from 1933 to 1973, the period of M. Daoud Khan from1973 to 1978, the Communist period from 1978 to 1991, the Mujahedeen time from 1992 to 1997, and at last the Taliban regime from 1997 to 2001 women were support and emancipated as a component of the state modernization, and at time reversed by conservative religious leaders. Afghan women were banded completely from education more recently by organized religious movements which have gained control of the apparatus of state, which is the Taliban regime.