Thinking about Afghan girls shut out of schools: Jolie

KABUL (Pajhwok): Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has raised her voice for Afghan girls who have been deprived of an education.

The actress, who has won multiple awards, said on Instagram on Wednesday: “Today, the school year begins in most of Afghanistan.

“But the Taliban authorities have now said that all girls’ secondary and high schools will be suspended indefinitely.”

Jolie said she was thinking about the Afghan girls who did not go to school.  Most schools have been closed for eight months in many Afghan provinces.

Meanwhile, Turkey regretted the Taliban decision to delay the reopening of girls’ schools and urged the Afghan government to allow girls of all ages to attend school.

“We regret the continuation of the restriction on the participation of girls in secondary education in the new school term that started today in Afghanistan,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

Citing a statement from the ministry, Anadolu news agency reported: “We emphasise that we will continue to stand by the Afghan people in these difficult days.”

As schools reopened on Wednesday, girls above the sixth grade were asked to stay home. Girls’ high schools would remain closed until a plan was drawn up in accordance with the Islamic law and Afghan culture, Bakhtar news agency said.

PAN Monitor/mud