Afghan Universities are out of bounds for women in Afghanistan in recent days. The Taliban minister on Thursday revealed why.
Why are women in Afghanistan banned from universities?
On Thursday, the Taliban announced a ban adding another restriction on women’s rights in the country. “Afghan universities were declared off limits to women because female students were not following instructions including a proper dress code,” stated Neda Mohammad Nadeem. Nadeem is the Taliban minister for higher education. The move has drawn global outrage including from Islamic nations that are calling it against Islam. The Group of Seven industrialized democracies stated the ban may lead to “a crime against humanity”.
However, Nadeem insisted that women in Afghanistan were ignoring Islamic instructions. “Unfortunately after the passing of 14 months, the instructions of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Islamic Emirate regarding the education of women were not implemented,” stated Nadeem. “They were dressing like they were going to a wedding. Those girls who were coming to universities from home were also not following instructions on hijab,” he added.
More on the education ban
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The ban on university education comes three months after thousands of women in Afghanistan were allowed to appear for university entrance tests. Several were aspiring to develop their careers in teaching and medicine. Moreover, he stated that certain science subjects were unsuitable for women. “Engineering, agriculture, and some other courses do not match the dignity and honor of female students and also Afghan culture,” stated the minister.
“The authorities had also decided to shut those madrassas that were teaching only women students but were housed inside mosques,” he added. On Thursday, following the announcement of the ban, several women protested in Kabul. “They expelled women from universities. Oh, the respected people, support, support. Rights for everyone or no one!” they chanted. They also revealed that “some of the girls” were arrested by women officers.
Women in Afghanistan are slowly being squeezed out of public life since the Taliban returned. It has been pushing them away from jobs and making them stay at home. The Taliban’s treatment and decision of banning them from university also attracted fierce reaction from the G7. “Gender persecution may amount to a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute, to which Afghanistan is a state party. Taliban policies designed to erase women from public life will have consequences for how our countries engage with the Taliban,” stated the G7 ministers.