The Taliban regime in Afghanistan is facing mounting pressure and criticism from the international community for preventing 100 Afghan girls from leaving the country to pursue higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The girls, who were selected for scholarships funded by the UAE government, were barred from boarding a flight at Kabul airport on Tuesday by Taliban officials, who cited security and cultural reasons.
The UAE has condemned the Taliban’s decision and called for its swift reversal.
Many other rights groups have also expressed their dismay and outrage at the violation of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
The ban on women’s education is one of the many restrictions imposed by the Taliban since they seized power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan.
The Taliban have also banned women from most of the workforce, restricted their freedom of movement, and excluded them from public life. There are hundreds of beauty parlors have been closed by Taliban’s that risk the women livelihood.
These measures have isolated Afghanistan from the rest of the world and caused economic hardship and suffering for millions of people.