a The joint statement was signed by the foreign ministers of the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union.
These countries “strongly” condemned the Taliban’s new policy of banning women from entering universities, which was passed this Tuesday, a new move after banning girls from secondary education.
They warned against the demands of Afghan women to exercise their human rights in line with Afghanistan’s obligations under international law. With this decision, the Taliban is further isolating itself from the Afghan population and the international community.
During the past 16 months, during which the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US forces, the regime issued no less than 16 decisions restricting women’s rights, and they also denounced it.
Countries gave as an example the ban on work and the use of public spaces, as well as the obligation to cover from head to toe.
They stressed that “these policies illustrate the Taliban’s disregard for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Afghanistan.”
Western allies stressed that Afghanistan “urgently” needs women’s participation in the economy and society in order for the country to be “viable and peaceful”.
They concluded, “We demand the Taliban to immediately abandon the new repressive measures related to university education for women.”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also condemned the measure imposed by the Taliban regime and demanded that the decision be annulled, considering it “another terrible and cruel blow to the rights of Afghan women and girls.” As well as “a very unfortunate setback for the whole of Afghanistan”.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which includes 57 countries, also condemned Kabul’s decision, which said in a statement that it was “appalled” and called on the Taliban authorities to cancel this measure.
In Brussels, the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, on his account on the social network Twitter, has already today classified the Afghan Taliban regime’s ban on women entering university as a “crime against humanity”. .
Also on Tuesday, the United Nations and the United States condemned the Taliban regime’s decision, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres showing he was “deeply concerned”, after asking Kabul to “ensure equal access to education at all levels”.
The Afghan Taliban regime returned to power in the country in August 2021, promising change. However, they are repeating their behavior in the previous regime, between 1996 and 2001 where, based on a strict interpretation of Islam and its strict social code known as Pashtunwali, they banned female attendance in schools and arrested women at home.
Read also: The Taliban’s ban on women in universities has drawn criticism and outrage
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