Taliban Reforms: A senior Taliban leader has appealed to end the ban on education on Afghan women and girls. Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai who is the Political Vice President in the Ministry of External Affairs. He gave this statement on Saturday (January 18). He said that there is no reason to deprive women and girls of education and doing so was neither right in the past nor is there any justification for it now.
According to a report published in Hindustan Times, Stanikzai said at a religious school function in Khaust province that the time has come to open the doors of education for women and girls. He said, “We are depriving the rights of 20 million people out of a population of 40 million. This is not in Islamic law but it is our personal choice or nature.” The Taliban government has banned women’s education after class 6, and in September last year, there were reports that authorities had also banned women’s medical training and courses.
International community concerned over Taliban’s education ban
Stanikzai’s statement came when Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai had appealed to Muslim leaders in Islamabad earlier this month to raise their voice against the Taliban’s education ban. The United Nations has also said that it is almost impossible for the Taliban to get recognition as long as the ban on women’s education and employment continues. Some countries like Russia are building relations with the Taliban and India is also strengthening its relations with the Afghan authorities.
Women have the right to education under Islamic law
This is not the first time that Stanikzai has talked about the right to education of women and girls. He had also given a statement on this issue in 2022 when the doors of education for girls in schools were closed. However, this time he has directly appealed to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada for changes in education policy. These comments reflect the hope for a change within the Taliban, which Stanikzai believes is that women have the right to education according to Islamic law.
Need to improve Taliban’s education policy
This public statement of Stanikzai further strengthens the hopes of change in Taliban’s education policy. Although there has been no official response from the Taliban on this yet, the question arises whether the Taliban will change its policy and restore women’s right to education. For this, pressure from the international community and discussions within the Taliban can be important.
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