Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Islamabad (News International / Pakistan News - DW News - December 24, 2024) UN special representatives have expressed concern over attacks on girls' schools in Pakistan and have called on the government to ensure their safety and have also sought details of the investigation into the safety of girls' schools in Waziristan and the steps taken in this regard.
In a report in this regard, UN experts have referred to the attacks on private girls' schools by unknown armed men in North and South Waziristan in Pakistan and in the Sorab district of Kalat division of Balochistan province.
They have also tried to highlight the aspect, which is being said that the average enrollment rate of girls in schools is significantly lower than that of boys, and this situation is especially worse in rural areas.
Ban on women's education in Afghanistan, protests in Pakistan too
What did the UN representatives say?
The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Farida Shahid, the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, Reem Al-Sulaim, and Laura Nirankandi, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls, have written a letter to the Pakistani government in this regard.
They wrote in the letter, referring to militant groups, saying, "We are concerned about the ongoing terrorist attacks on girls' schools by organizations that are against the education of women and girls."
"We have noted that all these attacks on schools are heinous, but most importantly, these targeted attacks on girls' schools not only prevent women and girls from accessing education but also perpetuate discrimination and inequality in society."
"Rural women: education, employment 'best sources of protection from violence'
The three experts expressed concern that in Pakistan, girls are less likely to enroll in school, less likely to stay in school and, if they do go to school, less likely to learn.
They said that "girls in rural areas suffer the worst educational outcomes and are most vulnerable to factors such as poverty and socio-cultural norms that prevent them from completing their education."
The letter states that “girls in Pakistan are disproportionately deprived of education. Girls’ education faces many challenges, including a lack of schools, security concerns (including harassment) while attending school, early marriages, and the cost of education for families living in poverty.”
“The Islamic Ideology Council rejects new laws to protect women
UN experts have reminded the government that states have legal obligations under international human rights law to respect and protect women’s rights, fundamental freedoms, and their dignity.
Demand for Idrees Khattak’s release
In another development, a group of UN special rapporteurs on enforced disappearances has called on the Pakistani government to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of human rights activist Idrees Khattak.
In a joint statement issued in Geneva on Monday, the human rights experts said: “We are concerned by Khattak’s continued deprivation of liberty, which clearly appears to be a direct reprisal for his human rights work, including collecting data on enforced disappearances against ethnic minorities in Pakistan’s northwest region.”
Equal educational opportunities for boys and girls
The UN experts said they were in contact with the Pakistani authorities regarding Khattak’s case.
Khattak was convicted in 2021 after a military court trial and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The UN experts called on Pakistan to ensure an independent, impartial, effective and thorough investigation into the violations committed against Khattak and to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
P.S./J.A. (News agencies)
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