Earlier this week, Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, reiterated the UAE’s strong condemnation of the most recent decision by the Taliban to ban Afghan women and girls from accessing higher education.
Following the announcement,
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, founding chairman of the reputed Al Habtoor Group has tweeted in support of Afghan women by stating that he would host 100 female students and give them the opportunity to complete their studies in Dubai universities
He made the announcement via Twitter yesterday.
حرمان الطالبات الافغانيات من التعليم الجامعي أمرٌ مؤسف ومُحزن،لذلك وبعيداً عن أي مواقف سياسية.فأنا على استعداد وبالتعاون مع الجهات الرسمية المختصة لاستضافة 100 طالبةومنحهن فرصة استكمال دراستهن في جامعات دبي.سنتحمل كافة التكاليف مهما كلف الأمر،فالعلمُ هو الحياة،والحياة حق للجميع pic.twitter.com/b88Ngrva09
— Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor (@KhalafAlHabtoor) December 22, 2022
The announcement to ban women from accessing higher education was made by the Taliban on Tuesday, December 22
The letter by the Taliban’s higher education minister states that all universities will remain closed for women until further notice.
BREAKING: The Taliban have banned women from universities.
This is a shameful decision that violates the right to education for women and girls in Afghanistan. The Taliban are making it clear every day that they don’t respect the fundamental rights of Afghans, especially women. pic.twitter.com/Ydf13rvsbF
— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) December 20, 2022
The Taliban’s decision is the latest example of restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls since August 2021, aimed at their erasure from public life
The UAE’s statement read,
The UAE reaffirms that this decision, as well as the earlier bans on girls from accessing secondary education, violate fundamental human rights, contravene the teachings of Islam, and must be swiftly reversed.
The UAE will remain steadfast in its long-standing support for and commitment to Afghanistan’s sovereignty, stability, security, and prosperity, in cooperation with regional and international partners.
UAE condemns Taliban’s decision to ban girls from higher education#WamNews https://t.co/hH3HxToNme pic.twitter.com/TCA97uomHR
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) December 21, 2022
Currently, protests are ongoing in Afghanistan to overturn this decision
The decision will drastically impair the global feminist movement and will severely damage Afghanistan’s progress in the long run.
Nationwide protests are happening in #Afghanistan.
These BRAVE female protesters demonstrated in #Takhar province’s Taluqan city despite the threats of the Taliban using violence against these students.
Amplify them, don’t leave them alone. pic.twitter.com/Sso4PXawH8
— Qais Alamdar (@Qaisalamdar) December 22, 2022