Global outrage as Taliban bars female students from studying abroad
Days after the Taliban government in Afghanistan allegedly stopped scores of female students from leaving the country to study in Dubai, global rights organizations and activists have expressed dismay over the move. Around 100 Afghan women reportedly received scholarships to study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, most of them were turned away at the airport by the Taliban regime, the BBC reported.
Why does this story matter?
This is one of many decrees issued by the Taliban in Afghanistan against women that received global condemnation. Previously, it has prohibited women from taking part in Eid celebrations, attending schools, universities, and most public sector jobs. Women have also been barred from going to public areas like parks, cinemas, and other recreational areas ever since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
Around 100 women stopped from traveling to UAE: Report
On Wednesday, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, the head of the Dubai-based conglomerate Al Habtoor Group, said the Taliban authorities had stopped around 100 women from traveling to the UAE, where he planned to sponsor their university education, per Reuters. Notably, the scholarships were announced in December 2022 after the Taliban banned women from attending universities.
Ordeal of student stopped by Taliban at airport
One of the female students told the BBC that her only chance to study was through a foreign scholarship after the Taliban shut down universities for women. However, her hopes were dashed after she was not allowed to leave Afghanistan on a study visa. "When the Taliban officials saw our tickets and student visas, they said girls aren't allowed to leave Afghanistan," she said.
Taliban decree triggers global reactions
Soon after the incident came to the fore, several rights groups and envoys expressed dismay. Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch termed it an "alarming step" and "cruelty." "This is holding them prisoner to prevent others from helping them study," she said. Meanwhile, a former United Nations (UN) youth representative from Afghanistan, Shkula Zadran, urged the university not to give up on the girls.
Taliban spokesperson's response to incident
Despite the strong reactions, the Taliban has yet to release a statement or provide clarification. However, a representative for the Vice and Virtue Ministry, Mohammad Sadiq Akif Muhajir, said that they were unaware of any such incidents at the airport. Senior Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid likewise declined to comment, claiming he was abroad and didn't have any information.
Taliban bans solo travel for women
According to reports, the Taliban has prohibited women from traveling overseas alone, except with their mahram or a related male companion such as a brother, uncle, or father. Several accounts, however, claimed that numerous girls with a mahram were also removed from their plane. This has heightened dread and terror among females who have applied for international scholarships.
