Coalition of Women’s Movements: Kankor Without Girls Has No Academic Legitimacy

The Independent Coalition of Afghanistan Women’s Protest Movements, in response to the announcement of Kankor results without the participation of girls, has said the exam has no “academic legitimacy” and is a sign of the systematic exclusion of women and girls from education and Afghanistan’s future.

The coalition, in a statement sent to Zan News on Thursday (9 July), condemned the Taliban’s announcement of Kankor results and said that millions of Afghan girls have been deprived of education, higher education and participation in Kankor for nearly five years.

The statement said that announcing the results of a Kankor exam in which no girl was allowed to participate is not an educational achievement, but, according to the coalition, “a clear sign of gender apartheid and the systematic deprivation of half of Afghanistan’s population from the right to education and a future”.

The Independent Coalition of Afghanistan Women’s Protest Movements said the Taliban’s policy towards girls’ education is not a temporary measure, but part of the process of excluding women from Afghanistan’s educational, social and public spheres.

The coalition warned that the consequences of depriving girls of education are not limited to schools and universities. According to the movement, the destruction of human capital, the spread of poverty, an increase in forced migration, the deepening of inequality and Afghanistan’s backwardness are direct consequences of depriving millions of girls of education.

The Independent Coalition of Afghanistan Women’s Protest Movements described the Taliban as directly responsible for the widespread violation of human rights and the destruction of the future of millions of girls, and said the group’s policies should face international prosecution and accountability.

The movement called on the United Nations, international organisations, governments and human rights defenders to move beyond “expressing concern” and take practical and binding measures to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

The statement said that silence and inaction in the face of this situation gives legitimacy to its continuation.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have deprived girls of schools above the sixth grade, universities and participation in Kankor. The exclusion of girls from Kankor is not merely their removal from an exam, this policy blocks girls’ path to higher education, specialised work, economic independence and participation in Afghanistan’s future.