KABUL (HRNW) — Afghanistan’s education ministry on Monday denied it was behind a recent memo that banned girls 12 years old and older from singing in public, putting the blame instead on the ministry’s Kabul department and its local chief.
The memo, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press, had gone out to all school districts in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
It stated that girls older than 12 cannot perform in any public event and that singing at such events is strictly forbidden. It went on to say that only female teachers can teach music to girls older than 12.
The memo triggered an outcry from activists and prompted a social media campaign known as #IAmMySong, started by Ahmad Sarmast, the founder of Afghanistan’s Institute of Music. The campaign gained traction on Twitter, with some Afghan girls singing their favorite tunes for the camera and calls popping up for petitions to oppose the directive.
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