Kabul: Psychologists have said that the Afghan girl students above grade six, banned from going to schools by the Taliban, are suffering mental stress due to this move, reported local media.
"When someone likes something and is prevented from doing it, it causes mental stress and anxiety. The girls who like education and are not allowed to engage in it undergo mental pressure," ToloNews quoted Jamshid Rasa, a psychologist, as saying. Validating the claims, the girl students expressed how the closing of their schools is causing them mental health trouble and they are counting the seconds until the schools will be reopened.
"I am very disappointed that the schools were not reopened. It is the right of every girl to have access to education," said Saeeda, a student in grade 10 who aspires to become a doctor in future.
"We seriously don't know what type of situation this is. We should go to school to make our future," the media outlet quoted Setayish, another student, as saying.
Meanwhile, according to sociologists, barriing girls from education can pave the ground for early and forced marriages in the country.
"The banning of girls from going to secondary and high school will cause a surge in forced marriage," said Bahauddin Baqayi, a sociologist.
Notably, the Taliban's decision to ban female students above grade six from going to school has drawn widespread criticism at the national and international levels.
Further, the Taliban regime which took over Kabul in August last year has curtailed women's rights and freedoms, with women largely excluded from the workforce due to the economic crisis and restrictions.
According to HRW, women and girls are blocked from accessing health care as well. Reports suggest that women and girls facing violence have no escape route. Allowing girls into schools and other educational institutes has been one of the main demands of the international community. The majority of countries have refused to formally recognize the Taliban amid worries over their treatment of girls and women and other human rights issues.
