KABUL, Afghanistan — Former President Hamid Karzai has called on the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls, warning that the continued ban on female education is contributing to a deepening public health crisis, including a rise in infant and child mortality rates.
In a statement issued in response to a recent UNICEF report highlighting increased infant deaths in Kandahar Province, Karzai described the situation as “alarming” and said the key to addressing it lies in expanding access to education, particularly for women and girls.
“To save the lives of Afghan mothers and newborns, I once again urge the caretaker government (Taliban) to immediately reopen the doors of schools and universities to girls,” Karzai said. “Without access to education and with the ongoing flight of skilled professionals from the country, our health system is facing a serious threat.”
Karzai also appealed to international aid organizations to step in with urgent assistance to equip medical centers and meet the country’s growing health care needs.
His remarks follow a report from the United Nations Children’s Fund last week, which revealed that Kandahar — a stronghold of the Taliban — now has an infant mortality rate above the national average. The agency also warned that cuts in international aid could endanger the lives of even more newborns in the months ahead.
The crisis comes amid sweeping restrictions imposed by the Taliban, who have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and prohibited their enrollment in universities, including in medical programs — a move that has sparked global outrage and fears of long-term societal collapse.
