The letter made public by Minister Neda Mohammed Nadeem reads: “We inform you to implement the order to suspend women’s education until further notice”
In Afghanistan, women must remain illiterate. The Taliban want it like this: submissive, locked up at home, covered by the burqa, erased from society. Yesterday yet another slap. The government has closed access to universities to the female population. This was announced by Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadeem in an ordinance sent to all government universities and private individuals in the country: “You are all advised to implement the aforementioned order to suspend female education until further notice”, reads the text.
Nadeem, a former governor and military commander, as well as a religious hard-liner, was appointed head of the University last October and immediately she expressed her staunch opposition to girls’ educationcalling it un-Islamic and against Afghan values.
“They fear us and our power”commented a student at Bbc. “They destroyed the only bridge that connected me with the future – she added through tears -. How can I react? I thought I could study and bring light into my life but they swept everything away.” Another girl spoke of the “many obstacles” that already existed on the road to study: “We faced a difficult situation precisely to be able to continue going to school. I was happy that I could graduate and pursue my dreams. But now what’s the use?”
The higher education ban comes less than three months after college entrance exams were taken by thousands of girls and women across the country. The Afghans had already been denied access to secondary schools last March 23, a few hours after their much-announced reopening. And even in the universities they had been prevented enrollment in some faculties such as engineering, economics, veterinary medicine and agriculture. In addition to the fact that separate classes had been established and the requirement for female students to have female or very old male teachers.
But an illiterate or nearly illiterate female population also affects the economy, which is already on the verge of collapse. According to a Unicef analysis this implies a loss of at least $500 million a year.
Yesterday the United States and Great Britain condemned the decision of the Kabul government which, among other things, arrived while a meeting of the Security Council was underway in New York on the Central Asian country.“The Taliban cannot expect to be a legitimate member of the international community up to respecting the rights of all Afghans, especially the human rights and fundamental freedom of women and girls,” said Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood.
Since their return to power on August 15, 2021, the Taliban had enacted the same draconian measures that had marked their first term in power (1996-2001). The freedom won by women in the previous twenty years was quickly eroded. The government, naturally formed only by men, has abolished the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and replaced it with that of Vice and Virtue, it barred townspeople from nearly all jobs, has imposed that women travel long distances only accompanied. Finally, in early May, Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued an edict to Afghans to “stay at home” and to wear the burqa if they are forced to go out.
It remains to be seen what the reaction of the citizens will be now. “Bread, work, freedom,” some courageous women shouted
last May when they took to the streets to protest against the imposition of the burqa. Now they could do it again in the knowledge that no one will help them anyway.
December 20, 2022 (change December 20, 2022 | 22:07)
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