Six Western countries, including the United States and the European Union, are urging the Taliban to “immediately reverse” a decision to ban Afghan girls from attending school after 5th grade.

France, Italy, Norway, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union’s High Representative, warned on Thursday that the changes announced this week would have “consequences far beyond harming Afghan girls”, undermining Afghanistan’s ambitions to ” be a respected member of the community of nations”.

“This will inevitably affect the Taliban’s chances of gaining political support and legitimacy, both internally and externally,” the countries defended in a joint note cited by the news agency France Presse (AFP).

The countries warned of consequences for the country’s “social cohesion” and “economic growth”.

“All Afghan citizens, boys and girls, boys and girls, have the same right to education at all levels, in all provinces of the country”, they defended.

The Taliban, which has been in power in Afghanistan since August 2021, overturned its decision on Wednesday to allow girls to study in primary and secondary schools, just hours after the start of the first day of classes, which had been suspended due to holidays. .

The announced size allows girls to attend school only until the end of 5th year, which is equivalent to 1st and 2nd cycles in Portugal.

The decision thus joins many of the restrictions the Taliban have imposed on women in their seven months in power: They are excluded from many public jobs, the way they dress is controlled and they are prohibited from traveling alone outside their cities.

On the day the Taliban announced their withdrawal on education, several representatives of international organizations, from Unicef ​​to the president of the United Nations, criticized the move, calling for equal access to education.