Girls from the Golden Needle Literary Association joined online classes from behind the closed gates of schools and universities in protest against restrictions on women’s and girls’ education in the country.
They called on Afghan men to stand with them, saying such support would “turn this protest into a collective demand.”
In a statement, the Golden Needle Literary Association said the protest action by its members serves as a serious reminder to the people of Afghanistan and the world that over the past nearly five years, girls in the country have been deprived of their right to education—one of the most fundamental human rights.
The statement added: “We believe this movement is not only a protest, but also an effort to awaken the collective conscience.”
Members of the association said equality is a right that “cannot be denied or delayed,” and called for equal and active participation in all areas of society. They added that they seek a society free of discrimination, where individuals are judged based on their merits rather than their gender.
The statement said: “Our aspiration is for a free and equal Afghanistan—a country where no girl is deprived of the right to education and no woman is marginalized. We strive for a future in which Afghanistan is known to the world not for signs of discrimination, but for the values of justice, equality, and humanity.”
