Education Isn’t Just a Human Right,

It’s What All Societies Need to Thrive.

#LetHerLearn

Right now in Afghanistan, any hope for a peaceful and stable future is being robbed by the Taliban, whose misogynist war of gender persecution has barred women and girls from secondary school and all forms of higher education. Tens of thousands of women are affected, from those with pending applications to university hoping to start their studies, to students on the verge of graduating, to millions of girls whose dreams of higher education are now crushed. This is only the latest step in an escalating stranglehold the Taliban are imposing on women’s access to education. 

You can do something about it. Be part of the campaign to #LetHerLearn.

Whether you are one or many, you can raise your voice in defence of human rights, stand in solidarity with Afghan women and girls, and provide hope to an entire generation. Use our advocacy tools to get you started.

Do you represent a Canadian higher education institution? 

We are calling upon concerned citizens and higher education institutions in Canada to stand in solidarity with Afghan women, take concrete actions to uphold their right to education, and open up opportunities for affected women to find alternative access to higher education by mobilizing university resources and communities.

ADVOCATE FOR AFGHAN WOMEN’S ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Advocate for systems-level change in support of Afghans’ right to education by:

  1. Show Solidarity: Releasing a statement in solidarity with Afghan women on your institution’s homepage (see our template here)
  2. Get the Word Out: Read and share our factsheet on the Taliban’s war on women’s education
  3. Amplify: Share our social media posts to raise awareness, using the hashtags #EducationIsARight, #LetHerLearn, #AllOrNone and request our social media toolkit
  4. Welcome Student Refugees: Advocate for your university to expand its student refugee program to provide dedicated spaces for Afghan women, or to adopt a student refugee program if your institution doesn’t yet have one
  5. Advocate: Show your support for IRCC removing barriers that prevent Afghan women from seeking higher education in Canada, by sending a letter calling for improvements to the student visa review process for Afghan women applicants
  6. Educate: Share information about what is happening in Afghanistan with your students and encourage them to organize their own actions in solidarity with students in Afghanistan
  7. Take Action: Support student-led advocacy for the gender equitable right to education

For more information contact: advocacy@cw4wafghan.ca

Denied the Human Right to Education

Advocating for Girls' Education in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is the only country in the world to officially bar girls from education. The Taliban’s system of gender apartheid is denying girls over the age of 12 the right to an education. This repression is causing serious harm to a generation of girls, exposing them to risk of early marriage, spiraling poverty, a rise in poor health outcomes, increased risk of gender-based violence, and much more.

Aligned with the Day of the Girl 2022, we continue to advocate for Afghan girls to access the human right to education. We must continue to press the international community to act with urgency in defense of their rights.

We are proud to work with Afghan women graphic designers. Featured artwork by Mursal Azizi.