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Middle East nations speak out against IEA’s decision to ban women from university
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are among several Islamic countries to condemn the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) decision to ban women from attending university.
Female university students were turned away on Wednesday after academic institutions were sent a letter by the Afghan higher education ministry on Tuesday evening enforcing the decision.
The move was widely condemned by governments around the world, including in the Middle East and Asia.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the ministry of higher education stated in a tweet on Thursday that Sheikh Mawlawi Nada Muhammad Nadeem, the acting minister, “will hold a press conference today or tomorrow, to clarify the recent decision of the Ministry of Higher Education regarding the suspension of girls' universities until further notice.”
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday the ban was “neither Islamic nor humanistic. We reject such a ban."
This came after Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry expressed “surprise and regret” on Wednesday, and called on Kabul to reverse the decision.
The United Arab Emirates' deputy ambassador to the UN, Amiera al-Hefeiti, also spoke out about it and Qatar released a statement expressing “deep concern and disappointment”.
“These negative practices will have a significant impact on human rights, development, and the economy in Afghanistan,” Doha's foreign ministry said.
“As a Muslim country in which women enjoy all their rights, especially education, the state of Qatar calls on the Afghan caretaker government to review its decision in line with the teachings of the Islamic religion concerning women’s rights.”
Abdel Aziz Hamad Aluwaisheg, assistant secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, tweeted on Thursday: “Banning the education of girls 16+ is a clear violation of human rights, but it can also doom the economic future of Afghanistan, relegating half of its people to a life of poverty and ignorance.”
Likewise, Indonesia is deeply concerned and disappointed with the decision of the Islamic Emirate to suspend access to university education for women in Afghanistan.
The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, meanwhile expressed “grave concern and denunciation of this disconcerting decision”.
He said in a statement the decision will go a long way in seriously denting the credibility of the government in place, just as it will deny Afghan girls and women their fundamental rights to education, employment, and social justice.
The statement noted that the OIC “calls on Kabul authorities to reverse it for the sake of maintaining consistency between their promises and actual decisions”.
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G7 envoys urge national dialogue for lasting stability in Afghanistan
Special Representatives of the Group of Seven (G7), including the European Union, have emphasized the importance of a national dialogue for achieving long-term stability in Afghanistan.
Following a meeting on Afghanistan in Geneva, Switzerland, G7 special envoys issued a joint statement calling for the restoration of women's rights and urging the Islamic Emirate to fight terrorism.
The statement reads: "Achieving sustainable peace and stability requires credible governance that represents all segments of Afghan society."
The representatives also expressed concern over the IEA’s decision to ban girls from attending medical institutes, warning that it will have devastating consequences for the citizens, particularly mothers and their infants.
The statement described this ban as unacceptable and called on the Afghan authorities to lift it immediately.
Earlier, countries and international organizations had called for the removal of restrictions on the education and employment of women and girls, emphasizing the need for a national dialogue.
In response to these concerns, IEA has repeatedly stated that it will not allow interference in the internal affairs of the country.
The G7 special envoys also expressed their concern about the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul and the surrounding region, warning that terrorism remains a serious threat to Afghanistan's security. They confirmed the actions of the IEA against Daesh but stressed the need for more decisive measures.
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Afghanistan’s bright future lies in educating girls: Karzai
Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, says the demand of Afghan girls for the reopening of schools and universities is their fundamental right and adds that Afghanistan cannot have a bright future without ensuring access to education for girls.
In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Karzai said: "The demand and voice of our country’s girls for education and knowledge is a rightful one and crucial for a prosperous Afghanistan."
He further emphasized, "Empowering the youth—both girls and boys—is the only way to achieve self-reliance, break the cycle of poverty, and drive the development and prosperity of society."
Karzai underscored that education is vital for Afghanistan’s growth and development, expressing hope that the doors of schools and universities for girls will be reopened as soon as possible.
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IEA to set up special courts to address pensions
Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has issued a decree to establish special courts to address pensions, Bakhtar news agency reported on Saturday.
According to the decree, the courts must confirm and process pensions in accordance with Sharia and law.
Pensioners have repeatedly voiced concern over delay in payment, saying that their financial challenges are growing.
Earlier this year, IEA's supreme leader banned money being deducted from salaries of government employees for pensions.
He also requested information on the tenure of employees and the total amount deducted from salaries for pensions.
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