Afghanistan appeal

News Afghan children robbed of an education

A FUNDRAISING appeal in support of Save the Children’s humanitarian work in Afghanistan was launched by the NEU at a webinar on 17 November.

The union is encouraging members and districts to donate and organise fundraising events at their workplace.

NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted said: “I hope members will get fully involved in the NEU’s fundraising drive in support of Save the Children and its vital work in Afghanistan.”

n Visit justgiving.com/campaign/

neu-afghanistan

Girls’ right to learn, women’s to teach

In August, the NEU highlighted the “harrowing situation in Afghanistan” when the country fell to the Taliban, after 20 years of war. Education and healthcare are in a critical state, dependent on foreign aid, most of which is now frozen.

Afghan people have suffered two decades of conflict, poverty and insecurity. Even before the Taliban takeover, more than half the population relied on humanitarian assistance.

Afghan women and girls have had their rights to education, work and freedom of movement removed. Most women across public services, including educators, have not been allowed to return to work.

Mary said there is particular concern that women’s and girls’ freedoms are being eroded: “These must be protected. This

Women and girls have had their hard-won rights to education and work removed PHOTO by @UNICEF/Bidel

includes preserving girls’ right to attend school and the right of women educators to return to work.”

Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, director of the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd), an organisation which convenes MPs on education, said: “The right of girls to an education is being denied them. But also children’s right to gather and play outside is being actively denied.

“There is an urgent need for the international community to agree a mechanism which will allow vital aid to flow again, and for teachers to be paid and schools to reopen.”

Urgent action needed in the UK

The NEU is calling on the UK Government to: n reverse cuts to the international aid budget – it was reduced from 0.7 to 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNP) n halt the Nationality and Borders Bill, an anti-refugee bill likely to criminalise many refugees, including Afghans, seeking protection n cease the removal of Afghan refugees from the UK n fund local authorities and schools receiving Afghan refugees.

In addition, the NEU wants to see: n all children, including girls, to be allowed to return to school, and female education staff to be enabled to safely return to work n all education facilities to be kept safe in accordance with the Safe Schools Declaration, endorsed by Afghanistan in 2015, to ensure that all students and educators – male and female – can learn and teach in safety.