Taliban Bans Women From Attending Universities In Afghanistan

Women are banned from private and public universities in Afghanistan with immediate effect and until further notice, a Taliban government spokesman said Tuesday, the latest blow to their rights and freedoms.

The higher education minister made the announcement on Tuesday, saying it would take immediate effect. Despite initially promising a more moderate rule and women's and minority rights, the Taliban have widely implemented their harsh interpretation of Islamic law. The ban further restricts women's education - girls have already been excluded from secondary schools since the Taliban returned last year.

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

Taliban bans women from universities

The ban on higher education comes weeks after Afghan girls gave their university entrance exams across the country. Until now, some women had been allowed to continue their university studies, but in gender-segregated classrooms. Last month women were barred from parks, gyms and swimming pools.

The Taliban has defended its decision, saying such restrictions have been done to preserve “national interest” and women’s “honour”.

Several Taliban officials said the secondary education ban is only temporary, but they have also wheeled out excuses for the closure – from a lack of funds to the time needed to remodel the syllabus along Islamic lines.

Human Rights Watch called the move "a shameful decision" that makes clear the Taliban's lack of respect for "the fundamental rights of Afghans."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is "deeply alarmed" by the Taliban's ban on women in universities, as he urged authorities in Afghanistan to "ensure equal access to education at all levels."

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric described the move as “troubling”.

“It’s clearly another broken promise from the Taliban,” Dujarric told reporters on Tuesday. “We have seen since their takeover … a lessening of space for women, not only in education but access to public areas,” he said.

“It’s another very troubling move and it’s difficult to imagine how a country can develop, can deal with all of the challenges that it has without the active participation of women and their education.”

The US on Tuesday roundly condemned the Taliban's actions "in the strongest terms" and said such a move "will come with consequences for the Taliban".

"The Taliban cannot expect to be a legitimate member of the international community until they respect the rights of all in Afghanistan," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.

"No country can thrive when half of its population is held back."

Suggested Reading: We Wish To Work, Want Our Girls To Study: Afghan Women Protest Against Taliban Ban