Taliban ban on Afghan women from university education 'indefensible' decision, says US

Washington: The United Nations and the United States have condemned Taliban’s announcement of banning women from universities and keeping secondary schools closed to girls.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken termed Taliban’s announcement an “indefensible decision” and warned that this will come with “consequences” for the hardline Islamist regime in Afghanistan.

“The US condemns in the strongest terms the Taliban’s indefensible decision to ban women from universities, keep secondary schools closed to girls, and continue to impose other restrictions on the ability of women and girls in Afghanistan to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms,” Blinken said on Tuesday.

“Education is a human right. It is also essential to Afghanistan’s economic growth and stability. The Taliban cannot expect to be a legitimate member of the international community until they respect the rights of all in Afghanistan. This decision will come with consequences for the Taliban,” Blinken warned.

“No other country in the world bars women and girls from receiving an education,” Blinken noted.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed” by the ban, his spokesman said.

“The secretary-general reiterates that the denial of education not only violates the equal rights of women and girls, but will have a devastating impact on the country’s future,” Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The Taliban rulers on Tuesday banned university education for women nationwide, as they took decisive steps to crush their right to education and freedom.

It was a far cry from their promise of a softer rule when they seized power last year, with the Taliban regime strongly implementing their strict interpretation of the Islamic law, or Sharia.

“You all are informed to immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” according to a letter issued to all government and private universities, signed by Minister for Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem.

The move is almost certain to hurt efforts by the Taliban to win recognition from potential international donors at a time when the country is mired in a worsening humanitarian crisis.

The ban comes barely three months after scores of female students took university entrance exams across the country.

The universities are currently on winter break and due to reopen in March.

After the takeover of the country by the Taliban, universities were forced to implement new rules including gender-segregated classrooms and entrances, while women were only permitted to be taught by women professors or old men.

Most teenage girls across the country have already been banned from secondary school education, severely limiting university intake.

The Taliban were ousted in 2001 by a US-led coalition for harbouring Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. They, however, returned to power following America’s chaotic departure from the country in August 2021.

With inputs from agencies

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