Taliban reopens Afghan universities, but women still barred from attending

The Taliban authorities on Monday, ordered the reopening of Afghanistan universities after months of shut down but the ban on women and girls from attending schools was still in force.

The ban on females attending university is one of several restrictions imposed on women since the Taliban took back to power in August 2021 and has sparked global outrage, including the Muslim world.

The Taliban government had imposed the ban last year after accusing female students of ignoring a strict dress code and a requirement to be accompanied by a male relative to and from campus.

Most universities in the country were also compelled to introduced gender-segregated entrances and classrooms, as well as allowing women to be taught only by female professors or old men.

Prior to the ban on women education, Taliban officials had promised that it would only be temporary but, despite promises, they have failed to reopen secondary schools for girls, which have been closed for more than a year.

Read also:Taliban fumes, vows to prosecute Prince Harry for allegedly killing 25 Afghan soldiers

They have also reeled out a number of excuses for the closure, from a lack of funds to the time needed to remodel the syllabus along Islamic lines, but both local and international rights groups have condemned the restrictions, with the United Nations calling it a “gender-based apartheid”.

Taliban authorities have effectively squeezed women out of public life since retaking power as women have been removed from many government jobs or are paid a fraction of their former salary to stay at home.

They are also barred from going to parks, fairs, gyms and public baths, and must cover up in public.

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