Afghanistan/Pakistan 2002
02/27/2002

"Negative attitudes about girl's education have changed a little in the past decade," according to an education expert in Pakistan. "Lack of girls in schools was not just something imposed by the Taliban. It was a social and cultural issue as well, and now these attitudes are starting to change." During the past five years, there has been a five-fold increase in the number girls attending UNHCR-sponsored primary schools in Pakistan, like the one in this picture. Inside Afghanistan, the number of girls attending schools run by NGOs has also increased. For example, the numbers of girls doubled in Swedish Committee for Afghanistan schools. One of the biggest challenges faced by NGOs was convincing parents and communities about the need to educate girls. NGOs have engaged in numerous awareness raising campaigns about the importance of girls' education.