PKR Women chief Fadhlina Sidek has slammed the Taliban government for banning women from attending universities in Afghanistan.
The Nibong Tebal MP called for the government to revoke the regressive decision that could widen the gender gap in the labour market in the long run.
“I deeply regret that the Taliban government banned Afghan women from pursuing their studies at the university level and condemn the policy that promotes a regressive system,” she said in a statement today.
“The restriction will widen the gender gap in competition in terms of quality employment opportunities, economic and social status.
“This regressive and discriminatory education policy will also bring long-term effects and badly impact the foundation of the Islamic-based administration.”
Fadhlina further pointed out that the said the non-involvement of women in higher education institutions will eventually limit women’s participation in the workforce.
“Therefore, I urge the Taliban government to consider revoking such restriction and restoring women’s access to education in universities,” she added.
On Dec 20, the Taliban government ordered an indefinite ban on university education for the country’s women, which was announced by the ministry of higher education in a letter issued to all government and private universities.
The ban further restricts women’s education – girls have already been excluded from secondary schools since the Taliban returned last year.
Following a global backlash, the Taliban-run administration said yesterday that it had closed universities to women partly due to female students not adhering to its interpretation of the Islamic dress code.
Acting higher Education Minister Nida Mohammad Nadim, in his first comments on the matter, told Afghan state broadcaster RTA that several issues had prompted the decision, including female students not wearing appropriate Islamic attire and interaction between students of different genders taking place.
“They didn’t observe Hijab (Islamic female dress code), they were coming with the clothes that mostly women wear to go to a wedding,” he said. – Dec 23, 2022
Main photo credit: The Sun Daily
