Sarah, Duchess of York Pledges Continued Support for Afghan Girls' Education
On Wednesday, April 23, during the Ideas+ Leaders Summit, Sarah, Duchess of York, reaffirmed her commitment to supporting Afghan girls' access to education. She shared her views in a conversation with Nilofer Ayobi—a journalist, activist, and member of the World Liberty Congress.
The Duchess’s involvement with Afghanistan dates back to 1993, during the first era of Taliban rule, when she first learned that doctors and nurses were being dismissed from hospitals. Deeply moved, she said she kept thinking about pregnant women and their newborns, and this sparked a lifelong dedication to supporting Afghan children’s education.
As an author and philanthropist, she went on to found Children in Crisis in 1993—a charity that went on to educate 1.4 million children. One particularly meaningful moment shared at the summit was that Nilofer Ayobi herself was once a student in one of the many schools supported by the Duchess’s initiative.
During her remarks, the Duchess emphasized the importance of standing with Afghan women and girls:
“Please know that we are here for you—not for us. We are amplifying your voices,” she stated.
In her speech, Nilofer Ayobi also underlined that education is her core cause, stating:
“Everything starts with education and everything finishes with education. Girls under the Taliban regime need to know that we are here for them—and that someone like the Duchess cares.”
This event marked the second Ideas+ gathering, following a successful summit in New York. The program featured TED-style talks covering topics such as business, event management, and psychology, presented by renowned speakers including Dr. Elena Paweta, Kerry Fisher, Ian Hawkins, Dr. Rachna Murthy, Dr. Jonathan Roos, and Nikita Sukhikh, who also performed music at the event.
