University ban on Afghan girls

The Afghan Taliban have ordered an indefinite ban on higher education for women, the consequences of which will be pain and suffering for every single Afghan. This is because women’s right to education was one of the primary demands made by the international community to recognise the Taliban government in Kabul. After over a year of dancing around the issue, claiming that they would allow access to education as soon as possible in line with their ultra-conservative rules on the separation of genders, the Taliban have dropped the charade without any explanation. However, many experts had been predicting such a move since March, when the Taliban walked back their decision to reopen girls’ high schools.

The most immediate effect of the university ban will be that all of the sanctions on the regime will remain in place, meaning the economic morass will continue to deepen. However, some reports have also noted that women’s rights are being trampled as part of a power play between factions in the Taliban leadership and leaks around possible bans were facilitated by pro-education leaders hoping public outrage would convince the ultra-hardline camp to rethink their positions.

Taliban supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada and his ultra-hardliners oppose education for women and girls, while powerful leaders such as Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani, and several influential clerics are on the other side. Sirajuddin Haqqani actually said in a CNN interview earlier this year that “education is essential to both men and women” and appeared to be blaming “leadership” for the delays in opening schools. Considering he is the second-highest-ranked Taliban leader, the only leader whose opinion carries more weight is Akhundzada. But whether heartfelt or pragmatic, Taliban leaders in favour of education must push harder, not just for Afghanistan’s daughters, but for all its citizens who are suffering under sanctions.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2022.

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