DOHA: Qatar has participated in the Alliance for Afghan Women's Economic Resilience (AWER) Summit held in the American capital, Washington.
Qatar, the US State Department, and other partners highlighted their continued vision for impactful partnerships to support Afghan women, girls, and students, said Education Above All Foundation (EAA) in a statement.
Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater said, "Qatar is committed to promoting prosperity for the Afghan people and championing equal opportunities for both women and men."
"Despite the numerous challenges in Afghanistan, including the economic obstacles, Qatar is dedicated to overcoming barriers through collaborative partnerships. For instance, Qatar continues to work closely with international bodies and relevant stakeholders to ensure the protection and continuous support for displaced persons. These collaborative efforts focus on humanitarian relief, improving living standards, and providing educational opportunities in conflict zones," she added.
Delivering a special address at the Alliance for Afghan Women's Economic Resilience Summit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his support for continued partnership, stating, "The United States is proud to be part of these and several other efforts. Over the last two years, we have grown the Alliance for Afghanistan Women's Economic Resilience, recruiting more partners, and developing additional programs. First, the alliance will provide virtual training and skills-building courses for Afghan women around the world so that they can get jobs and earn an income.
"For example, the Qatari Government, the Qatari foundation Education Above All, and the American education company Coursera will provide hundreds of thousands of Afghan women with technical job training classes Second, the United States and the Education Above All Foundation will provide scholarships so Afghan women refugees in the United States can finish their bachelors and masters degrees."
CEO of the EAA Fahad Al Sulaiti highlighted the vital role of education in empowering Afghan boys and girls, stating, "Education Above All Foundation is proud to support Afghan girls and boys through its Qatar Afghan Scholarship Project (QASP), successfully enrolling 250 Afghan refugee students, with an equal representation of girls and boys, in over 40 prestigious American colleges and universities including Rutgers University, Bard College, and the University of Texas at Austin for their higher education. We are enthusiastic about continuing our collaboration with partners to expand educational opportunities for students, focusing on empowering the most marginalized to achieve their full potential."
QASP is a partnership between the EAA Foundation and the Afghan Future Fund (AFF), Schmidt Futures, the Yalda Hakim Foundation, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and the Institute of International Education (IIE).
Two students in the programme, Yosuf Ayni, and Shafiqa Mogul said, "We view education as a significant tool for empowerment and progress. We are grateful to our host universities, Rutgers University New Brunswick and Indiana University Bloomington, and the other 38 institutions that have opened their doors to QSAP students. Now we want to see this opportunity extended to all students who cannot continue their education in their homeland. Not just for their benefit, but for everyone's."
