Afghanistan Universities Reopen, But Women Still Barred
Male students trickled back to their classes on March 6 after Afghan universities reopened following a winter break, but women remain barred by Taliban authorities.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Higher Education said that male students’ classes at public universities would be commenced on March 6.
However, the statement has not said about the resumption of universities for female students. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, female students have been deprived of rights such as education, work, sports, and public places.
Since the Taliban retook control in August 2021, numerous limitations have been placed on women. One of these restrictions, the university ban, has outraged people worldwide, particularly Muslims.
The Taliban regime issued the ban after accusing female students of disobeying the university’s rigorous dress code and requiring them to travel to and from campus with a male relative.
Some Taliban officials claim that the ban on women’s education is temporary; however, despite their assurances, they have been unable to reopen the secondary schools for females that have been closed for more than a year.
Several Taliban officials claim that the ultra-conservative clerics who advise Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, profoundly mistrust contemporary education for women.
On the other hand, in December last year, the Taliban announced a decree the ban of women’s work for the International community and Non-governmental organizations.
The ban on women’s work with NGOs disrupted the humanitarian aid in the country since most of their work is dependent on female staff.
In addition, women have been banned from many government jobs and paid a fraction of their former salary to stay at home. They are also banned from going to parks, gyms, and public baths and must cover up in public.
These restrictions are called “gender-based apartheid” by the United Nations.
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