Taliban: Women banned from attending Universities in Afghanistan

The Ministry of higher education in Afghanistan on December 20 banned women from attending universities for allegedly failing to obey rules. 

Notably, recently they have ordered a ban on women's right to attain education in Universities of Afghanistan after resuming control in August last year, as seen by the announcement made earlier this week.

Global outrage has been expressed over it, particularly from Muslim countries, who believe it violates Islam and the Group of seven industrialized democracies who claim it may be "a crime against humanity."

Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the Taliban government's minister for higher education, however, asserted that female students had disobeyed Islamic rules, particularly those regarding what to wear and being accompanied by a male relative.

"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", said Neda Mohammad Nadeem. 

"Engineering, agriculture, and some other courses do not match the dignity and honour of female students and also Afghan culture," he continued. 

According to Nadeem, the authorities also decided to close madrassas that solely taught female students but were housed inside mosques.

Since the Taliban's return, women have been gradually expelled from public life, forced out of many government professions, or paid a small portion of their previous income to stay at home.

Additionally, they are forbidden from traveling alone, are required to cover up in public, and are forbidden from visiting parks, fairs, gyms, and public bathhouses.

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