New Ban Against Women’s Education Introduced in Afghanistan
January 31, 2023
Announced last month in December, the Taliban, the current head of the Afghanistan government, has enforced a ban against women from achieving higher level education, specifically university learning.
Since its take over of the Afghan government in 2021, the fundamentalist groups’s goals have considerably cracked down on women’s rights, such as being restricted from most employment opportunities, wearing a head-to-toe cloth in public, and not being allowed to travel to areas such as parks without a man. But with this new recent ban being enforced around the country, many are starting to speak out against the injustices that are being forced upon these women.
Many Women have started protesting and holding demonstrations. One such instance saw a group of women protesting in the city of Herat, speaking out against officials. Even men started getting involved, with one such notable figure, Professor Ismail Mashal, going viral online advocating that both men and women need to come together to fight back against the ban. As such, many professors and students have left their jobs or exams as a show of support to those who can’t attend university.
The U.N. has also responded to the situation, with the high commissioner of human rights, Volker Turk, stating “The reported decision by the de facto authorities in Afghanistan to ban women from attending university is another appalling and cruel blow to the rights of Afghan women and girls and a deeply regrettable setback for the entire country.” The U.N. has asked for the international community to help support the Afghan people during these hard times.
As for the Taliban themselves, their spokesperson, Zabiullah Mujahid, has released a statement that claims that overturning the ruling is “not a priority,” and that it is still only temporary for now. Their reason for this decision has to do with the Taliban not wanting anything to go against Islamic Sharia laws, a set of religious laws. However, other such religious groups such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have condemned the Taliban for using such laws.
So with the current ban in place, many people in and out of Afghanistan are still fighting to overrule the decision, even though the Taliban shows no signs of going back on their word. But even with these restrictions, it won’t stop these determined women from gaining their rights back, and by showing support and spreading awareness of the current situation, then one day, there can be a world with equality between men and women.
