Female foreign ministers press Taliban on girls’ education

BERLIN (AP) — Female foreign ministers from 16 countries around the world say they’re “deeply disappointed” that Afghan girls are being denied access to secondary schools and are calling on the Taliban to reverse their decision. Diplomats from 10 countries sounded a similar message at the United Nations on Friday. Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers this week unexpectedly decided against reopening schools to girls beyond the sixth grade, reneging on a promise and opting to appease their hard-line base at the expense of further alienating the international community. The foreign ministers’ statement said access to education is a human right to which every girl and woman as entitled, and “no country can afford to not take advantage of the potential and talent of its entire people.”