Malala Yousafzai says the world should support Afghan women

Malala Yousafzai says the world should come together to support the human rights of Afghan women.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate said in an interview with VOA that the Afghan people, Muslim countries and the international community should stand with Afghan women in their fight for their rights to education and work.

After seizing power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have continued to impose repressive restrictions on women in the country, including banning them from secondary education, government work, long-distance travel without a close male relative and to go to the parks. and gymnasiums.

Last month, the group banned women from entering universities and working with nongovernmental organizations.

WATCH: Afghan girls cling to their dreams despite education ban

On the eve of International Education Day, Yousafzai told Nazrana Ghaffar Yousufzai of VOA’s Afghan service that the Taliban’s measures are “against Islam” and she called on Muslim countries to speak out against him.

This interview has been translated from Pashto and edited for length and clarity.

VOA: What do you expect from the international community on this International Day of Education to guarantee the fundamental right of Afghan women to education?

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai: I have a message for everyone, not to remain silent. Stand with Afghan women. Afghan women are making their voices heard on the world stage. They take to the streets in Afghanistan, raising their voices for peace, equality and justice. Stand with them and raise your voice for their rights to education and work.

Fathers and brothers of Afghan girls should also come out to defend their rights. We all know that denying women access to education goes against our culture and our religion. Moreover, at the international level, leaders must play their part and stand with Afghan women. Muslim nations should come together for Afghan women and raise their voices for the protection of women [in Afghanistan]. This is because we all know that in Islam, education is an obligation for all human beings. It is an obligation for women. Our religion has taught us to seek education and knowledge, and for that, Muslim countries must make it understood that this prohibition is against Islam. International organizations and leaders must unite and stand with the Afghan people.

VOA: How do you see the future of a nation where women are excluded from education and their access to almost everything is limited?

Yousafzai: Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are denied the right to education. Women are not allowed to work. Women are deprived of their fundamental human and Islamic rights. I stand in solidarity with my Afghan sisters. On this day when we celebrate the International Day of Education, when we talk about education, we must think of the right to education of Afghan girls. If Afghan women are deprived of education, it not only harms them, but also the economy, peace and prosperity of Afghanistan. UN studies show that banning education injects $5.4 billion into the Afghan economy. So it harms peace and the Afghan people. We must not forget Afghan women on this day.

VOA: What is your message to Afghan women in these difficult times?

Yousafzai: I stand in solidarity with my Afghan sisters. I salute their courage. They raise their voices for their rights. I hope they will get their right to education, employment and political participation. I also hope that the international community will support them.

Roshan Noorzai of VOA Pashto Service contributed to this report.