Taliban Reverses Decision To Reopen Schools For Female Students In Afghanistan Because Of Uniform. Ugh, This World Just Hates Women, Doesn’t It?
Ever since the Taliban came into power in Afghanistan, things have been looking bleak for the women and girls in the country. TBH, the entire world is concerned about women’s rights in the country and it looks like our fears might be turning into reality. In a shocking turn of events, just hours after reopening the schools for girls in Afghanistan, the Taliban reversed its decision. On Wednesday, the girls across the country were allowed to return to school but just hours later, the Taliban ordered all the girls’ secondary schools in the country to shut stating that a ruling is yet to be made about the uniforms that the girls must wear. This sent shockwaves across the country as the schools were set to open nationwide after months of restrictions put in place by the Taliban ever since it came into power in August 2021. Well, there we go again with schooling women for their choice of clothing and taking away their fundamental rights over clothes!
Mothers accompanying their girls to school in Kabul urged the Islamic Emirate to reopen all the girls' schools.#TOLOnews pic.twitter.com/XIs04TxJRb
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) March 23, 2022
The sudden move to shut the schools across the country taken by the Taliban sparked confusion, heartbreak and anger amongst the people. Several students were left in tears after the decision while parents and other students reacted with anger and disappointment. A notice stated all the girls’ high schools and those with female students above class six have to remain shut till the next order while adding that the schools would reopen after a decision is made regarding the uniform of the female students as per the Sharia law and Afghan tradition. According to a report by NDTV, the Taliban spokesman did not immediately explain the reason behind the decision to shut the schools and the Education Ministry spokesman had said that they are not allowed to comment on the situation. TBH, this is yet another situation where women are being denied education due to clothes. It’s starting to seem like the world is using uniforms and clothes to suppress women.
As per BBC, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan has stated that it ‘deplores’ the last-minute reversal of the decision to reopen the schools. The US diplomats have also said that this move has chipped away their trust and confidence in the Taliban’s promises, assurances and commitments and it also crushed the hopes of all the families in the country who hope for a better future for their daughters.
The reported failure to open schools for girls above grade 6 across the country not only weakens confidence in the Talibans commitments but further dashes the hopes of families for a better future for their daughters. https://t.co/M4lL4Kxsr4
— U.S. Special Envoy Rina Amiri (@SE_AfghanWGH) March 23, 2022
One, there is nothing Islamic about denying girls an education. One need only look at other Muslim-majority countries to see that. (2/3)
— U.S. Special Envoy Rina Amiri (@SE_AfghanWGH) March 23, 2022
Three, if the Taliban seek legitimacy from the Afghan people, and by extension the international community, they must show that they can and will live up to their promises to their people. (4/4)
— U.S. Special Envoy Rina Amiri (@SE_AfghanWGH) March 23, 2022
Girls in Afghanistan crying after they were promised their schools would reopen only for the Taliban to lock them out again at the last minute. pic.twitter.com/SuoEpNLz5B
— Heather Barr (@heatherbarr1) March 23, 2022
For the uninitiated, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year in August, all the schools across the country were already shut. Two months later when schools began to reopen, only boys and younger girls were permitted to return to school and there were fears that the Islamist group would prevent female students from obtaining formal education much like the organisation did during their first stint from 1996 to 2001. This time, the Taliban reopened the school for the female students in primary school but the secondary school for girls remained shut until now. While the international community has time and again stated the importance of the right to education and made it an essential part of the negotiation in the recognition and aid of the Taliban regime, lots of other nations and organisations have also offered to pay for the teachers. According to a report by BBC, Taliban members have privately admitted that female education is a rather controversial topic among them.
Also Read: Karnataka Hijab Row: State Government Says No Re-Exam For Protesting Students Who Boycotted It
TBH, this is another situation where people are more concerned about women’s clothes than their education. In 2022, we’re still preventing women from accessing education because their choice of clothing does suit our taste. Looks like the world is back to using clothes as an excuse to bar women from getting educated and to oppress them yet again.
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