Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) signed a declaration in early April supporting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Central Asia. Specifically, Written Declaration No. 806 (Doc. 16154, 8 April) calls for gender equality and women’s empowerment, noting the dire situation of Afghan women and girls, some of whom are receiving educational opportunities in neighboring Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
The 21 signatories of the PACE declaration also supported United Nations General Assembly Resolution 79/268, which called for establishing a “UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan” in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (A topic The Diplomat’s Catherine Putz recently wrote about). PACE supports creating the U.N. Regional Hub “for coordinating international efforts in the region and helping central Asian countries in their efforts to assist Afghan women.”
The declaration was signed by representatives from different European parties, such as the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe; the European Conservatives, Patriots and Affiliates; and the Group of the Unified European Left. The representatives came from different nations, including Austria, Belgium, Monaco, Sweden, and Turkiye.
Written Declaration No. 806 is the second time this year that PACE has brought attention to the tragic issue of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Maria Syrengela from Greece and a member of the Group of the European People’s Party tabled a motion for a resolution in February on this topic. Document 16115 highlighted how Afghan “women are barred from secondary schools and universities, pushing millions into economic dependency and increasing their vulnerability to violence.” Hence, the Parliamentary Assembly must develop strategies to provide humanitarian assistance, promote educational opportunities, and restore legal protections. Moreover, the proposal called for a “monitoring mechanism” to ensure that “international engagement remains strong, reaffirming commitment to gender equality.” The document had 40 signatories.
In 2019 the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union (EU) launched an initiative to provide educational opportunities to Afghan women in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. “By 2027, more than 100 Afghan women are expected to earn academic and professional degrees at universities in Central Asia,” a February 8 UNDP article explained. According to a Radio Azattyq article in 2023, when asked about the future of the project, the UNDP representative in Kazakhstan said that “key decisions, including possible expansion, are the subject of close consultation with the donor.”
In Kazakhstan, Afghan students are enrolled in the Kazakh National Technical University, the Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU), and the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU); “all students also undergo a foundation language preparation year to increase their English level and to prepare them for degree-specific education at other universities.” A cohort of students graduated in late 2024 from KazNARU, a milestone that marked “the culmination of the first phase” of the aforementioned UNDP-EU program. A new cohort of Afghan women are enrolled in KazNARU as part of the program’s second phase.
Meanwhile, a young Afghan woman is studying at Tashkent State University of Economics in neighboring Uzbekistan to obtain her Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) certificate. Other students are pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and TVET degrees in agriculture, applied statistics, and mining. At a roundtable in Qatar last year, Saida Mirziyoyeva, first assistant to the president of Uzbekistan, pledged, “We are ready to continue to educate Afghan girls and women in the necessary professions to prevent a humanitarian crisis.” She thanked the “Qatari Government and the Education Above All Foundation,” for their assistance.
The United Nations also directly engages these Afghan women. During the Winter of 2022-2023, UNDP and U.N. Women organized “Winter Schools” in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan to teach and empower 83 Afghan students on topics like gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, and personal and professional development.
Statements by Kazakh and Uzbek authorities suggest that both governments are willing to continue accepting Afghan women in their universities as part of the UNDP-EU program. Ensuring funds to support subsequent phases beyond 2027 is critical.
Moreover, since the UNDP-EU program will continue for a second phase, the U.N. must have a stronger and more permanent physical presence in Central Asia to monitor gender-related initiatives and hopefully expand them as part of the SDGs. The aforementioned U.N. regional center in Almaty would benefit the United Nations’ short-, medium-, and long-term goals in Central Asia, including this project to help educate Afghan women. Anecdotally, this past February, the Kazakh government and U.N. Women organized a conference on women’s rights. Announcing concrete plans for a regional hub in Almaty soon would help maintain the momentum of Astana-U.N. cooperation on this critical topic.
SDG5 aims to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” This is a noble goal. Unfortunately, because of the Taliban, Afghanistan is not a safe place for Afghan women and girls to enjoy a good life, including pursuing an education. Since the global military powers are focused on other issues, it is improbable that the Taliban will be removed from power (again) in the foreseeable future. In all likelihood, the country will continue to be governed by a repressive regime that uses religion to justify the oppression of women and girls. It is logical to assume that more Afghan women and girls will want to leave their homeland to pursue an education, which means the UNDP-EU program will need to continue and, ideally, be expanded. A U.N. hub in the region could help administer the UNDP-EU program and work more directly with the authorities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
PACE is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe. Its global influence is debatable, especially when compared to the much better-known European Union. However, all European organizations must be aware of the consequences for Central Asia concerning the return of the Taliban to power. Over 100 young Afghan women are taking a personal risk in their desire to pursue university studies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, an impressive and commendable achievement. Unfortunately, given the situation in Afghanistan, more Afghan women will similarly want to seek the chance to have an education and a better life elsewhere.
The United Nations requires a physical presence in Almaty to monitor the unavoidable future influx of Afghan refugees and promote SDG objectives. The situation in Afghanistan is grim, but there is a ray of hope: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, in coordination with their international partners, are providing higher education for Afghan women, to give them a chance at a better, fulfilling life.