...a city and eponymous province in northern Afghanistan, population about 500,000. Demographically it is majority Tadjik and Uzbek. There are small Pashtun, Arab, and Hazara communities, of which the Hazaras mostly don't bother anyone...and Kunduz.
"Those girls in school above grade six who are not allowed to study--education is their right and they should study," said Hassina, a student.
Another student, Hadisa, said "I have this hope that girls in other provinces will be able to properly study their lessons."
Girls in Balkh province were happy to be allowed to go to school.
Sultan Razia is a female student in Balkh's capital Mazar-e-Sharif where there are over 4,600 students and 162 teachers. "Initially, there were a few students but the number is getting larger and the lessons are good," said Fariba, an eighth grade student.
Another student at the school, Tabasom, said: "Education is our right, we want to improve our country and no one can or should take the right of education from us."
The head of Balkh's provincial department of education, Jalil Sayed Khili, said that all girl schools have remained opened in Balkh.
"We have segregated the girl students from the boys," he added.
According to the statistics of the Balkh educational department, over 600 schools are active in the province with around 50,000 students