Statement of the Embassy and Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Rome Condemning the Suspension of Access to Higher Education for Women and Girls by the Taliban in Afghanistan

Rome, 21 December 2022

The Embassy and Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Rome, condemns in the strongest terms, the continued widespread violation of women and girls’ rights by the Taliban in Afghanistan, especially their recent directive to suspend women and girls’ access to higher education in the country.

This radical and unjust decision follows the spate of other measures imposed over the past 16 months by the illegitimate administration of Taliban in Kabul, which prohibit girls from secondary and tertiary education, barre women from returning to their jobs, ban women and girls from going to public parks, prevent them from boarding aircraft without a male guardian, and ordering them to cover their faces while on air.

The recent decision by the Taliban is not only against Islamic values, basic human rights, the historical realities and traditions of Afghanistan, but it is also contradictory to the tenets of modernity and civilization. Once again, this barbaric directive clearly shows that the Taliban has not changed and that the two decades of hard-won gains for equality, human rights, inclusive governance, peace and security made by the Afghans along with their international allies, are at the edge of the precipice more than ever.

At this critical juncture, the international community should understand that waiting longer is neither beneficiary for the oppressed people of Afghanistan, nor for the security interests of the regional and the global countries. Therefore, it is utmost importance that Afghans along with the Islamic countries, strategic partners and allies coalesce their resources to exert pressure on the Taliban and their state sponsors by utilizing diplomatic tools (Soft Power plus Hard Power = Smart Power) to bring them back to the negotiation table, which must further lead to the establishment of an inclusive, representative, participatory, and responsive government, without any discrimination, and with full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women and ethnic minorities of Afghanistan.

The Embassy and Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Rome once again denounce such measures by the Taliban as blatant violation of basic human rights and call for putting an end to the current endemic of fearmongering in the country.