Supporting the education of Afghanistan’s children and young people: A call to action

Following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, we have grave concerns for the human rights of Afghan citizens, especially women, girls, people with disabilities, and ethnic and religious minorities. 

We are particularly concerned about the right to education.

Whilst the international community must ensure the re-establishment of the conditions that guarantee the full rule of law and the respect of human rights and that those in power in Afghanistan respect the right to education, permission to operate and attend educational facilities alone will not be enough. The fundamental freedoms of women, girls, and minority and ethnic groups must be respected and protected by all parties, including their freedoms of movement, opinion, expression, and identity.

Protecting the right to education of Afghanistan’s population will require a significant increase in coordinated international support.

Supportive of the effort by Italy, acting as G20 president, to develop a common international strategy in response to the crisis in Afghanistan, we urge G20 member states to ensure the strategy includes a plan for education and lifelong learning for all.

That plan should be based on five commitments:

  • Ensuring the right to education and lifelong learning for all, based on the standards set by international human rights law.

  • Increasing humanitarian and development assistance, provided to the UN, international agencies, national organizations and communities, to ensure formal schools, community-based education programs, colleges, and universities with students of all genders, abilities, and backgrounds continue to operate and provide quality, inclusive education.

  • Providing support to host countries for the education of both existing and newly arriving refugee children and youth.

  • Increasing funding for tertiary study overseas, especially for women and people with disabilities.

  • Ensuring that a fundamental condition of any working relationship with the regime is that it upholds the right to education.

We urge the governments of the G20 to commission the relevant UN agencies to develop, fund, and implement a plan to protect and promote education for Afghan children, especially girls and people with disabilities, both in Afghanistan and those who have fled their country seeking protection. It is critical to ensure full participation and consultation of teachers, education support professionals, parents, and learners themselves in developing a comprehensive education plan.

ENDORSED BY THE FOLLOWING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS:

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FULL LIST OF ENDORSING ORGANISATIONS:

  1. International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd)

  2. Finn Church Aid

  3. Global Campaign for Education

  4. Global Citizen

  5. International Rescue Committee

  6. Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies

  7. Jesuit Refugee Service

  8. Malala Fund

  9. Oxfam

  10. Plan International

  11. Save the Children

  12. Theirworld

  13. World Vision International

  14. CIFA Onlus

  15. Movimento per l'Autosviluppo, l'Interscambio e la Solidarietà (M.A.I.S)

  16. RE.TE ONG

  17. Send My Friend to School

  18. Campagna Globale per l'Educazione (Global Campaign for Education Italy)

  19. Coalition Éducation (Global Campaign for Education France)

  20. Globale Bildungskampagne (Global Campaign for Education Germany)

  21. Global Camapign for Education - The Netherlands

  22. Global Campaign For Education – US (GCE-US)

  23. Educate the Children-Nepal

  24. Linda Norgrove Foundation

  25. HealthProm

  26. National Education Union

  27. NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union

  28. RESULTS Canada

  29. RESULTS UK

  30. Centre for Afghanistan Policy Studies (CAPS)

  31. 100 Million

  32. All Africa Students' Union

  33. AWA Initiative (A Well Informed Adolescent Initiative), Nigeria

  34. Commonwealth Children & Youth Disability Network

  35. Commonwealth Students' Association

  36. European Students' Union

  37. Global Student Forum

  38. Empowered African Child Initiative, Nigeria

  39. Future Resilience and Development Foundation, Nigeria (FRAD)

  40. HELP Foundation for Students, Nigeria

  41. Hope for Nigeria Education Fund

  42. I CAN South Sudan, Uganda and South Sudan

  43. iFix Initiative, South Sudan

  44. Include Me TOO, UK

  45. Kosovar Youth Council

  46. No Box Initiative, Nigeria

  47. Rescue Health Initiative Nigeria

  48. Teach for Somalia

  49. Teach MUDA – Street2School Initiative, Nigeria

  50. Youth and Women for Opportunities, Uganda

  51. Youth Institution for Education, Côte d'Ivoire

  52. Asmae-Association sœur Emmanuelle

  53. Childhood Education International

  54. Afghanaid

  55. World University Service Germany