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- BBC News World
In Afghanistan, girls can no longer go to university.
The Taliban government, which resumed power last year, announced this Abolition of access to higher educational institutions for women.
According to a letter from the Minister of Higher Education, the move comes into effect Immediately And will remain until further notice.
This makes it more difficult for women to access formal education They are already banned from most high schools.
Three months ago, thousands of girls and women across Afghanistan sat for university entrance exams.
But broad restrictions were imposed on the subjects they could study in majors such as veterinary science, engineering, economics and agriculture. The press is tightly controlled.
In response to the recent university ban, a student told the BBC she thought the government was afraid of women and their power.
“They destroyed the only bridge that could connect me to my future,” he lamented.
“How can I react? is believed I can read and change my future or bring light into my life, But they destroyed it“.
The US and other Western countries have seen progress in girls’ education in Afghanistan A condition for formal recognition of the Taliban government.
Taliban rule
After the Taliban seized power last year, universities They created segregated classrooms and entrances By gender.
Only students can stay Taught by female teachers or older men. It responds to the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law.
Since the inauguration of the new government, there have been Expulsion of academics Following the withdrawal of US-led forces last year.
The country’s economy has depended heavily on foreign aid in recent decades, but since the Taliban refused to allow girls to attend secondary schools, aid agencies have partially and in some cases completely withdrawn support for the education sector.
Many of the regular teachers have not been paid for months.
The latest actions will cause further concern in the international community.
The US ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, condemned the decision: “The Taliban cannot be a legitimate member of the international community unless they respect the rights of all Afghans,” he said.
“The human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in particular.”
In November, officials They banned women from entering the parks of the capital, Kabul. They alleged that Islamic laws were not followed there.
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