Afghanistan and the Taliban exclude women from all Afghan universities – Corriere.it

in Afghanistan Women They must remain illiterate. The Taliban want it as follows: Submissive, locked in the house, covered with a burqa, erased from society. Yesterday another slap. The government closed female access to universities. This was stated by Minister of Higher Education Nada Mohamed Nadim In a decree sent to all state universities And individuals in the country: “We advise all of you to implement the above-mentioned order suspending female education until further notice,” the text reads.

Nadim, a former governor and military leader, as well as a religious hardliner, was appointed president of the university last October and immediately. She expressed her strong opposition to girls’ educationDescribing it as un-Islamic and contrary to Afghan values.

“They are afraid of us and our power”commented a student BBC. “They destroyed the only bridge that connected me to the future – he added between tears -. How can I respond? I thought I could study and shed light on my life but they swept away everything.” Another girl spoke of the “many obstacles” that were already there on the way to school: “We were faced with a particularly difficult situation to be able to continue going to school. I was happy that I was able to graduate and pursue my dreams. But what’s the point now? ”

The ban on higher education comes less than three months after university entrance exams were taken by thousands of girls and women across the country. The Afghans had already been denied access to secondary schools This past March 23rd, just hours after the much advertised reopening. Even in universities they were banned Enrollment in some faculties such as engineering, economics, veterinary medicine and agriculture. In addition to the fact that separate classes were created and the requirement for female students to have female teachers or female teachers.

But the illiterate or semi-illiterate population also affects the economy, which is already on the verge of collapse. According to UNICEF analysis, this means a loss, at least 500 million dollars a year.

Yesterday, the United States and Britain condemned the decision of the Kabul government that arrived, among other things, during the meeting of the UN Security Council in New York in the Central Asian country.The Taliban cannot expect to be a legitimate member of the international community “Respect the rights of all Afghans, especially the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls,” said Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood.

Since their return to the government on August 15, 2021, the Taliban They launched the same crackdown that marked their first term in power (1996-2001). The freedom women have had in the past 20 years has quickly eroded. The government, which was naturally made up of men only, abolished the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and replaced it with the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, It banned the townspeople from almost all jobs, it mandated that women travel long distances only accompanied. Finally, in early May, Supreme Leader Hebatullah Akhundzadeh issued a decree Afghans to “stay at home” and wear a burqa if they are forced to go out.

It remains to be seen what will be the reaction of citizens now. Some brave women shouted “Bread, work, freedom!”
Last May when they took to the streets to protest against the imposition of the burqa. Now they can do it again knowing no one will help them anyway.