Fatima Amiri Urges Global Community at UN Human Rights Council to Support Afghan Women’s Rights and Girls’ Education
Fatima Amiri, an education activist and survivor of the suicide attack on the Kaj Education Center in Kabul, addressed the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, 16 June 2025, calling for global attention to Afghanistan’s human rights situation.
Speaking on behalf of millions of Afghan women and girls deprived of justice due to Taliban restrictions, Amiri emphasized that Afghan women and girls have not succumbed to these limitations and continue to pursue learning. She highlighted the critical importance of education for girls, stating that education is not merely about reading and writing but a means of empowerment and protection.
Amiri urged the international community to support underground schools for girls in Afghanistan and protect those fighting for the right to learn and educate. During the same session, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, presented his latest report on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, also stressed that the Taliban continues to enforce a systematic policy of erasing women and girls from public life.