The same principle applies to education more broadly. A country cannot develop economically, socially or politically if millions of young people are prevented from receiving an education. Girls who are excluded from secondary and higher education lose opportunities that cannot easily be recovered. Their families and communities also lose the economic and social benefits associated with their education. At the national level, Afghanistan loses an enormous pool of talent, creativity and professional capacity.
France therefore regards the restoration of girls’ and women’s access to education as an urgent priority. Afghan girls should be able to attend school, pursue higher education and develop the skills necessary to build independent lives and contribute to their communities. Afghan women should be able to work, participate in professional life and contribute to the country’s economy and institutions. These are not privileges. They are fundamental rights and essential components of a stable and prosperous society.
The exclusion of women also has a direct humanitarian dimension. Women play a central role in delivering assistance to vulnerable populations, particularly other women and children.
