Afghanistan: Taliban university ban sparks fresh protests

Dozens of women marched in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Thursday to protest an order by the Taliban that banned them from higher education. 

The Islamist militants ruling Afghanistan have ordered public and private universities to bar women from attending. Since the decision was announced on Tuesday, groups of women have staged small protests to demand their right to education. 

Local media reported that some protesters and journalists were arrested during Thursday's rally. 

The women chanted in Dari slogans like, "Don't be afraid. We are together," and, "Rights for everyone or no one!" 

The Taliban have so far not reacted to the backlash against the ban. A spokesman for the Higher Education Ministry said Thursday that a news conference would be held this week to "to elaborate more on the closure of universities for women."

How did the Taliban government respond?

A statement from the Taliban's Higher Education minister on Thursday defended the decision.

Minister Nida Mohammad Nadim said the ban was necessary to prevent the mixing of genders in universities and because women were not adhering to the Islamic dress code. He also expressed beliefs that some of the subjects taught at university violated Islamic principles.

Nadim told Afghan television that though the ban was in place until further notice, it could be reviewed at a later date.

When asked about the international condemnation the ban has thus far received, Nadim said foreigners should stop interfering in his country's internal affairs.

Muslim-majority countries condemn the ban

Turkey, Saudi Arabia. Pakistan and Qatar, which has played a pivotal role in facilitating negotiations between the US and the Taliban, decried the decision.  

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called on the Taliban to reverse the ban, which he said was "neither Islamic nor humane."

"What harm is there in women's education? What harm does it to do Afghanistan?" Cavusoglu said. "Is there an Islamic explanation? On the contrary, our religion, Islam, is not against education, on the contrary, it encourages education and science."

Saudi Arabia also urged the Taliban to change course. A Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said the decision was "astonishing in all Islamic countries."

The ban has also triggered a wave of condemnation from the UN and Western countries, including Germany. 

The Group of Seven economic group (G7) joined the chorus of condemnation on Thursday. G7 ministers urged in a virtual meeting the Taliban to rescind the ban. They warned that similar decisions curtailing women's rights and aiming to "erase women from public life" will impact how members engage with the group.

The G7 ministers said that "gender persecution may amount to a crime against humanity."

Taliban crack down on women's rights

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 amid a chaotic pullout of US-led NATO forces from the country. 

While the group initially vowed a more moderate rule — compared to the restrictions they had imposed while in control before 2001 — and respecting the rights of women and minorities, the Taliban have implemented an extreme interpretation of Islamic law.

Not only did the Taliban ban girls from middle and high schools, they also banned women from several fields of employment. Women are also not allowed in parks and gyms.

The repression of women's rights has contributed to hampering the Taliban-led administration's efforts to gain international recognition, which would help lift sanctions amid the deteriorating state of the Afghan economy. 

fb/wd (AFP, dpa)