Statement on the Taliban’s removal of women’s rights to attend universities
By Maryam Rahmani, Advisor/Advocate: Afghanistan, Womankind Worldwide
Womankind is very distressed to hear of the latest decree by the Taliban which further removes the rights of Afghan women and girls. Women in Afghanistan are now banned from attending university. This follows a ban on girls’ secondary school education and the decree on 7th May 2022 denying women the right to work, go to parks or even leave their homes without a male chaperone. The de facto Taliban regime lacks gender, ethnic, religious, political and geographical diversity.
Education is a fundamental human right and a precondition for development of any nation. We stand in solidarity with Afghan women and girls – and with women’s rights activists in and from Afghanistan – in calling on the international community, including the UK government, to take urgent action to hold the Taliban to account for their acts. Women’s rights must not be negotiable and must never be wrangled over as part of political negotiations.
Afghan women must have equal rights and be able to contribute to the development of their country and society. Afghan women call on the international community to not forget our role in all spheres of life: political, social, cultural and economic. We must also be included in any delegations and policy development.
The international media also has very important role to play in continuing to highlight the issues women and girls in Afghanistan are facing, in listening to what they have to say and in amplifying their voices.
The United Nations must hold the Taliban accountable to UN conventions on the rights and freedoms of women and girls.
The UK government must honour its commitment to Afghan women by continuing to advocate for women’s peace and security in Afghanistan and carefully monitoring the current situation. The £286 million of UK aid provided to Afghanistan in March 2022, and vital ongoing financial support, must go hand-in-hand with redoubled efforts to exert influence in addressing women rights issues.
We must not leave Afghan women and girls behind. We must step up in their greatest hour of need. That hour is now.
