The Afghan Women’s Justice Movement commemorates April 23, World Book and Copyright Day, at a time when millions of girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of their most basic human right: access to education, books, and knowledge.

While books symbolize awareness, freedom, and the intellectual growth of societies, women and girls in Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, have been systematically denied the right to read, write, and access educational resources. The continued closure of schools and universities to girls is not only a clear violation of human rights, but also a deliberate effort to silence women and erase them from the future of this country.

The Afghan Women’s Justice Movement emphasizes that access to books and education is an inalienable right, and no political system or ideology can take it away from women. We believe that books are instruments of resistance, and despite all restrictions, Afghan women continue to struggle for access to knowledge and awareness.

We call on UNESCO and other international organizations not to remain silent in the face of this systematic deprivation and to take concrete and effective measures to ensure Afghan girls’ right to education.

On this day, we once again reaffirm our commitment to the struggle for the right to education, freedom of expression, and equal access to knowledge.

Women’s Justice Movement