KABUL - Findings of Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF) show that three million children do not have access to education across the country, with nearly 60 percent of them girls.<br>
Based on this report, seven thousand students, mostly girls, drop out of school between grades 7-12th. 48 % of girls who drop out of school say it’s because of insecurity. Domestic violence, poverty, harassment, cultural barriers, forced marriages, underage marriages, lack of female teachers, and long-distance between school and home are the most important factors that have forced girls to leave school.<br>
“Of the three million children who lack access to education or educational services, unfortunately, 60% are girls,” said Zarqa Yaftali, Head of WCLRF.<br>
However, the Ministry of Education rejects these claims and says that they had notable progress in the education sector in some parts of the country. <br>
“Three independent variables including culture, poverty, and security are the main factors for children being deprived of education,” said Mirwais Balkhi, the Minister of Education.<br>
This comes as Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Nabila Mosawi said that “Every girl who has been to school has faced harassment on the road, and this problem existed for many years. A separate mechanism must be put in place by the Ministry of Interior Affairs to prevent this.”<br>
Government officials also emphasize that girls’ rights to education must be protected.<br>
WCLRF conducted this poll nearly a month ago, and the statistics showed that two-third of the children left school due to explosions, kidnappings, and armed conflicts. (ATN)<br>