Parents pull girls from violence-torn region of Pakistan

Teachers and educators working in Pakistan’s Swat valley have expressed concern over growing insecurity in the area, after a fresh round of violence hit the once idyllic valley in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). In a massive bomb attack against a security forces convoy near Mingora on October 25, 2007, as many as 30 people were killed, mostly members of the security forces. Scores of people were injured, many civilians.

Much of the violence is directed at eradicating women’s already very restricted public space. Educational institutions were instructed to remain closed October 24-25 due to expected unrest. Ongoing reports of parents pulling their children out of schools, particularly girls, highlight residents’ concerns. The Swat Youth Front (SYF), a local NGO running 39 community primary schools for girls is already reeling from the crises because its focus is on girls’ education in the area. Read more at IRIN News.