Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has renewed his call on the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls, using World Children’s Day on 20 November to press the issue once again.

Karzai said Afghan children would only secure a bright future and contribute to the country’s progress if they were given the chance to gain knowledge, expertise and essential skills. In a post on X on Thursday, he said education was not only the right of every child but a necessity for society.

He added that meaningful national growth and development would only be achieved if serious attention were given to educating children and preparing them as a skilled and knowledgeable workforce for Afghanistan’s future.

Since returning to power, the Taliban have barred girls from attending schools above the sixth grade and have closed universities to female students, measures that have drawn widespread national and international condemnation.

Karzai has repeatedly called on the Taliban to lift the bans and reopen educational institutions for girls.