Taliban Bars Women From Attending University in Afghanistan

Kabul: In a recent directive curtailing women’s rights and liberties, the Taliban’s higher education ministry barred women from attending university. Significant international backlash followed this action.

At the same time as the United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, the Taliban announced the liberation of two American hostages.

Despite initially promising a more moderate government that protected the rights of women and minorities, the Taliban have widely implemented their strict interpretation of Islamic law since seizing power in the country last year.

They barred girls from going to middle and high school, excluded them from the bulk of employment, and demanded that they wear nothing but public clothing.

Women were also forbidden from going to gyms and parks, as well as from travelling alone.

According to a letter that was verified by a representative for the higher education ministry, Afghan public and private universities were compelled by a Cabinet resolution to immediately stop accepting female students.

Higher education is now forbidden, just a few weeks after university entrance exams were taken by Afghan girls nationally. In the past, some women had been allowed to finish their university degrees, but only in courses that were only open to men.

Foreign governments, particularly the United States, have declared that they must change their stance toward women’s education before they will consider recognising the Taliban-run administration, which is also subject to harsh sanctions.