The below is attributable to Spokesperson Jessica Jennings:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power met with Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and co-founder of the Malala Fund. They discussed USAID’s efforts to expand access to international education, particularly for women and girls affected by conflict and crisis, and support education for women and girls in Afghanistan.
Administrator Power affirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting equitable access to quality education and highlighted USAID’s efforts to help learners recover from COVID-19 related education disruptions and advance our goals in girls’ education.
Administrator Power and Ms. Yousafzai expressed strong concern for the violation of the basic rights of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban's edicts banning girls from receiving education above the sixth grade, including banning women from attending universities. She shared USAID’s efforts to sustain girls’ and women's access to basic and higher education in Afghanistan. Administrator Power and Ms. Yousafzai discussed opportunities for collaboration to advance our shared commitment to increase access to education for women and girls – in Afghanistan, Pakistan and around the world.
